Four people died, 217 were rescued and 30 are missing after a passenger vessel capsized off Infanta, Quezon near Manila on Thursday, Navy Commander Commodore Adeluis Bordado told Arab News.
The MV Mercraft III reportedly left the port of Real, Quezon at around 8.30 a.m. en route to Polilio Island.
After an hour’s travel the ferry encountered large waves, and capsized near Barangay Dinahican in Infanta town at around 11.30 a.m.
The vessel has a capacity of 286 passengers. At the time of the incident, it was carrying 251 people. The coast guard and navy search-and-rescue teams were immediately dispatched to the area.
Bordado said search-and-rescue operations were called off at around 4.00 p.m. due to rough sea conditions.
In the wake of the incident, Sen. Grace Poe is urging the creation of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) to ensure better safety standards to prevent disasters.
“The first order of the day is the immediate rescue of the passengers from the capsized ship,” she said.
“Rescue teams with adequate equipment should be deployed at once to ensure all lives are saved.” Authorities should investigate whether the cause was natural or man-made, Poe said.

Source:Arabnews