Hopes fade over Philippines ferry
Tuesday, 24 Jun 2008 09:18
Rescuers in Philippines admit survivors unlikely to be found in ferry carrying 800 people that sank at weekend
Rescuers in the Philippines have admitted they are unlikely to find any survivors from a seven-storey ferry which sank at the weekend.
The MV Princess of the Stars was capsized by a typhoon on Saturday with more than 800 people on board, but only about 40 people have been rescued so far.
The ferry, which is now partially resting on the sea floor and is almost completely submerged, was finally reached by divers on Tuesday.
But the Philippines navy has said the divers have reported no sign of life on the 24,000-tonne vessel and that many bodies had been discovered.
"It was too dark inside to tell how many were children or elderly, but they did say they were mostly floating and they were apparently trapped inside," said spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Edgardo Arevalo.
"What complicates our problem is how to extricate the bodies. One of the ways they are thinking about is to weigh them down so they can take them out from the bottom of the ship. Another option is to cut the hull."
The families of passengers and crew on the ferry are now demanding why it was allowed to set sail despite the presence of Typhoon Fengshen.
On Sunday, Gloria Arroyo, the country's president, asked coastguard authorities why the vessel was allowed to leave harbour.
"Why did you allow it to sail and why was there no ample warning? I want answers."
Elsewhere in the Philippines, some 160 people have been killed in the typhoon.