103 rescued, 3 dead in Leyte ship sinking

MANILA (Updated) -- Three people died while 103 others were rescued from an inter-island ferry that is believed to have sunk after encountering engine problems off the vicinity of San Ricardo, Southern Leyte late Saturday.

The skipper of the M/V Maharlika II ordered its passengers and crewmen to abandon the ferry after it began to list in choppy waters and strong winds midway through its trip off Southern Leyte province, Office of Civil Defense Director Blanche Gobenciong and Coast Guard personnel said.

Captain Juan Cayago, the skipper of the ill-fated vessel, said they were carrying 85 passengers, 31 crew members, and 13 rolling stocks when the mishap occurred.

The Coast Guard public affairs office said the rescued individuals and the fatalities were recovered by the following ships:

M/V Maharlika - 34

M/V Lara Venture – 19

M/V Filipinas Maasin - 2

M/T Orient King - 2 (one survivor and fatality)

M/T St. Martin - 56 (54 survivors and two fatalities)

Search operations are still ongoing for the three missing persons.

The M/V Maharlika II left Surigao city at 7:30 Saturday and was headed for Liloan Port in Southern Leyte. Three hours after, it encountered “steering casualty” off Binit Point, Panaon Island due to big waves and strong current.

Commander Armando Balilo, Coast Guard Public Affairs chief, said local authorities received a distress call from one of its passengers.

Gobenciong said there were big waves at the scene of the accident but the area was not directly affected by a storm blowing off the northern Philippines. (AP/PNA/Sunnex)

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