Philippines ferry death toll rises to 41
Print Edition
THE death toll from the Philippines’ ferry disaster rose to 41 yesterday as rescuers brought more bodies ashore to anguished families, including 10-year-old survivor Gilbert de la Cruz who wailed in despair as the corpse of his 1-year-old brother was recovered.
Divers were searching for five people still missing after the “Kim Nirvana” carrying 173 passengers and 14 crewmen capsized as it was leaving Ormoc port in the central Philippines on Thursday.
Crowds of anxious relatives waited at the port as divers manoeuvred their inflatable boats through the choppy waters to the upturned hull of the ferry, its brightly painted orange and green bow just poking above the surface.
As de la Cruz embraced his distraught father, hopes were fading that the boy’s mother and sister could be still alive trapped in the hull.
Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya said 141 survived, including all the crew, while five others were missing.
Government investigators will summon the crew to determine the cause of the accident, he said.
“We will get to the bottom of this and make sure it doesn’t happen again,” he said.
The ship was on its regular run to the Camotes island group, about an hour’s sailing away when it capsized. Survivors have recounted how the 33-ton vessel was backing out of the port when it suddenly overturned, giving them no chance to put on life jackets.
De la Cruz said he survived by clinging to water drums that kept him afloat until the coast guard rescued him. The 10-year-old said he was standing near the deck when it tilted, allowing him to jump into the water, but he was unable to look behind him to see if his family had also escaped.
“I’m very sad because I don’t know if they are still alive,” he said before his youngest brother’s remains were brought to shore.
“I am never riding a boat again,” he said, as he was comforted by his aunt whose eyes were swollen from crying.
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