40 still missing in Cebu ship accident

Philippine Navy and Philippine Coast Guard divers retrieve a body from the waters off the coast of Talisay city, Cebu province, in central Philippines Saturday Aug. 17, 2013, a day after a passenger ferry MV Thomas of Aquinas collided with a cargo ship Sulpicio Express Siete. AP

MANILA, Philippines—Forty persons remained missing as the number of bodies retrieved from the sunken MV Thomas Aquinas in Cebu rose to 97 on Friday, the military said.

Lieutenant Commander Noel Escalona, operations officer of the Naval Forces Central, told INQUIRER.net that divers retrieved one body on Friday morning from the economy section of the sunken passenger ship.

But search operations still continued in the afternoon but debris prevented divers from searching for more bodies, said Escalona.

The Navy officer also called for volunteer deep-sea divers who are willing to help in the search operations.

“If there are any deep-sea divers who are qualified, they may reach us at the Naval Task Group,” he said, adding that the divers must be able to dive as deep as 150 feet.

The MV Sulpicio Express 7 Cargo vessel bound for Davao City and Cebu-bound MV St. Thomas Aquinas (2Go) passenger vessel from Butuan collided off Talisay City in Cebu two weeks ago. The two ships were carrying over 800 passengers and crew.