NDCC confirms 57 survivors, 20 dead from ferry sinking
By Joel Guinto, Katherine Evangelista
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 20:56:00 06/23/2008
MANILA, Philippines -- Officials of the National Disaster Coordinating Council and Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said Monday evening that the number of survivors from the ill-fated Sulpicio Lines ferry MV Princess of the Star had risen to 57.
The number of confirmed deaths, on the other hand, rose to 20, after 16 bodies washed on shore, were recovered, also on Monday, the officials said.
A list released by the NDCC Monday evening listed the survivors as: Jessie Buot, Reynaldo Lanurias, Jesus Gica, Oliver, Amorin, Rey Paguin (Cebu), Danilo Deplanas (Cebu), Richie Tayuntong (Cebu), Gerry Palenor (Cebu), Philip Vasquez (Cebu), Uriel Laguban (Pagadian, Zamboanga del Sur), Ralph Alain dela Peña (Cebu), Carlo Jason Aravis (Cebu), Rodel Laborte (Cebu), Phil Gilig (Cebu), Jose Marie Garbo (Cebu), Niño Lauros (Cebu), Rupert Tan (Cagayan de Oro City), Ciriaco Nuñez (Cebu), Fausto Colis (Bicol), Francisco Batula (Cubao); Vicente Beruas (San Mateo, Rizal);
Reynante Adina (Cebu), Exuperto Pendon (Cebu), Jonathan Pendon (Cebu), Susan Lisbo (Novaliches, Quezon City), Minerva Toremucha (Bohol), Antonio Cosep (Bantayan, Cebu), Ronnie Relatibo (Malate, Manila), Ruel Libot (Apas, Cebu); Estanislao Tura Jr. (Bantayan, Cebu), Nilo Dayogo (San Pedro, Laguna); and Jesserey Bianco (Cebu).
A list of survivors as well as the manifest of the ill-fated ferry is also available at the Sulpicio Lines website www.sulpiciolines.com.
The shipping line has also assigned the following Manila hotline numbers -- 3821456 and 4745205 (look for Carmela or Maricar) -- for inquiries on casualties and survivors of the mishap.
The Philippine Coast Guard identified one of the fatalities as Julie Q. Mendoza and said at least two of the recovered dead were children.
The Princess of the Star, carrying 849 passengers and crew, stalled due to engine trouble and capsized amid huge waves off the central province of Romblon on Saturday, the height of the onslaught of typhoon "Frank" (international codename: Fengshen), officials have said.
On Monday, twenty-eight survivors and a fatality were found in a lifeboat on the shoreline of Mulanay town in Quezon province, Commodore Luis Tuason, chief of the Metro Manila Coast Guard said.
On the same day, 25 survivors and 15 fatalities were found on the shores of Burias Island in Masbate province, said Captain Gilbert Rueras, who represented the Coast Guard at the NDCC's Monday evening news briefing.
Quoting a local official, NDCC executive director Anthony Golez said the survivors were onboard life boats and were wearing life vests.
Mulanay and Burias Island are located northeast of the capsized vessel.
Four survivors and four fatalities were found washed ashore in San Fernando town, Romblon on Sunday, officials said.
Search and rescue operations of the Philippine Navy (PN) were suspended for the night due to big waves and the lack of night-capable equipment, spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Edgard Arevalo said.
It could not be immediately confirmed if the Coast Guard was also suspending its search for the night since the bad weather could endanger the lives of the rescuers.
"We'll stop for the moment because of the big waves and because we don't have night-capable equipment," Arevalo said in a phone interview.
The Navy's Patrol Ship 28, carrying rescue divers, medical equipment, and cadaver bags, will arrive on the scene early Tuesday, he said.
In an earlier interview, Arevalo said there were "no signs of life" after rescuers scoured the vicinity of the capsized ship on Monday morning.
"We approached the ship, we knocked on it [hull] in order to give us a sign if ever somebody is inside, [to tell them that somebody is outside to help them. We were hoping someone would knock [from the inside], unfortunately, there was none," he said.
Meanwhile, the official casualty count due to floods triggered by "Frank" rose to 100 deaths, 63 of these confirmed, and 121 injured, Health undersecretary Mario Villaverde told the same NDCC briefing.
Jhunnex Napallacan, Inquirer Visayas
|
