(UPDATED) -- The death toll from the sinking of three motorized bancas in Iloilo-Guimaras Strait amid bad weather Saturday afternoon, August 3, has risen to 27, authorities said.
The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) in Western Visayas reported that as of 5:30 p.m. Sunday, August 4, 27 people were confirmed dead, while six others were still missing.
At least 53 people survived.
The first incident involved M/B Chi-Chi, which left Guimaras for Iloilo around noon Saturday, August 3.
The boat was carrying four crew members and 47 passengers when it capsized around 12:30 p.m.
The Western Visayas Police Regional Office said 12 of those onboard perished in the accident.
The second incident involved M/B Kezia, which was bound for Guimaras from Iloilo. All its passengers and crew members survived.
The third incident happened around 3 p.m. Saturday, August 3, when M/B Jenny Vince, which was carrying five crew members and and 39 passengers, capsized.
At least 13 passengers, including a minor, perished, while six others were still missing.
All 27 fatalities have been identified.
The police said rescue and retrieval operations for the missing victims were ongoing as of Sunday afternoon.
Iloilo City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office Director Donna Magno said an investigation is being conducted to determine why the boats were allowed to sail despite the bad weather.
"After the first incident, there was a cancellation of trips kaya nagulat kami nung dumating sa amin na may second incident," said Magno.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Sevices Administration earlier said several regions in the southern and eastern part of the country are affected by the trough of the low pressure area spotted in northern Luzon. (With Carolyn Abello/SunStar Philippines)