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Friday, March 05, 2004
More bodies found in Superferry 14
MANILA -- Navy frogmen Thursday recovered six more bodies inside the submerged portion of Superferry 14, bringing the remaining missing passengers to 125.
The bodies were found as relatives of the missing passengers joined the search and retrieval operations since Wednesday.
The six bodies included four women, a man and a still unidentified remains.
On Wednesday, divers recovered three bodies, two of which have been identified, police said Thursday.
The remains were identified as that of Cristy Rubico, 24 and Clynn Paculba, 16 of Misamis Oriental. Rubico was identified by her husband while Paculba was recognized by her parents.
Aboitiz Transport, owner of Superferry 14, has sent personnel to guard the remains of the two women at a funeral parlor in Sta Cruz, Manila and assist the victims' relatives.
The three women were found inside the comfort room of the tourist accommodation of the vessel that is located at the lowest portion of the ship.
The Coastguard speculated that the passengers could have died of suffocation.
No sabotage
Meanwhile, authorities ruled out Thursday sabotage in the Superferry 14 blaze that left 10 dead and at least 125 still missing.
Transportation and Communications Secretary Leandro Mendoza said an explosion in the boiler room or a defective gas tank could have caused the fire that gutted the 10,192-ton Superferry 14.
Authorities have earlier said they were looking into the possibility of a bomb attack as the cause of the fire, even as President Arroyo said there was no evidence to support the claim.
"Accidents happen," he said, adding that all passenger ships undergo strict safety inspections before being allowed to leave port.
The ferry was en route to Bacolod City when it caught fire on in Manila Bay. More than 700 passengers were rescued, but 125 remain missing.
Muslim Abu Sayyaf rebels had owned up to the incident, saying that one of its members posed as a passenger and planted a bomb that caused the blaze.
But coast guard and maritime investigators have not found evidence to support the claim. Sunnex with AFP
(March 5, 2004 issue)
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