2 more bodies recovered from sunken ship in Palawan

MANILA, Philippines—Two more bodies were recovered in Palawan as search and rescue operations of the Philippine Coast Guard continued for passengers who remained missing from the sunken vessel M/V Josille 2, a report from Radyo Inquirer 990AM said Monday.

The report quoted PCG spokesman Lieutenant Commander Armand Balilo as saying that two still unidentified persons—a male, and a female—were fished out from the waters of Culion, Palawan near the site where Atienza Shipping Lines-owned cargo passenger vessel sank shortly before midnight Tuesday.

The bodies were already in the stage of decomposition, the report said.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council earlier said there were 66 passengers listed on the manifest – 34 passengers and 11 crewmembers – and at least 21 unlisted passengers.

Meanwhile, island hopping in El Nido, Palawan has been temporarily suspended since Sunday and until authorities become certain that the sinking would not cause any harm to local and foreign tourists who were planning to visit one of the country’s top destination.