39 dead and several unaccounted for as boat sinks off Masbate

Manila: At least 39 people were killed while several remain unaccounted for after a wooden outrigger loaded with more than a hundred passengers sank in the province of Masbate in central Philippines around noon on Tuesday.

A report given by provincial police director Senior Superintendent Reuben Sindac to the national police headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City, said as of 5pm, 74 people had been listed as survivors in the latest sea tragedy in the Philippines.

Sindac said the wooden outrigger MB Don Dexter Cathlyn was ferrying people from an island in Masbate when it ran into the path of a tornado.

Aside from the 39 listed dead and 74 survivors, authorities are yet to account for the 119 passengers listed on the manifest when the boat left port of Dimasalan.

Masbate administrator Herminio Valdemoro was quoted by radio station dzBB as saying the boat was hit by a tornado several hours after it left port.

"The weather suddenly turned violent, there was a whirlwind. It was possible the ship capsized," Valdemoro said.

Regional civil defence official Director Raffy Alejandro said officials are coordinating with the local government of Masbate and the coast guard for the immediate rescue of the remaining unaccounted passengers. Accidents at sea are a frequent occurrence in the Philippines, an archipelagic country where movement by inter-island ferry is the main form of transport.

A report given by provincial police director Senior Superintendent Reuben Sindac to the national police headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City said as of 5pm, 74 people had been listed as survivors in the latest sea tragedy in the Philippines.

With inputs from Rafael Juan, Correspondent