Philippines says, 3 dead,110 rescued after ferry sinks

At least three people died, three are missing and 110 were rescued after a ferry sank off the Philippines’ central coast, the coast guard said, clarifying an earlier report that the vessel carried 84 passengers and crew.

The MV Maharlika-2, which capsized between Surigao in Mindanao and Southern Leyte in the Visayas, was carrying 116 people, Coast Guard spokesman Commander Armand Balilo said by phone. The ferry’s captain said in a distress call that it carried 58 passengers, 26 crew and 13 rolling cargoes, the Associated Press reported, citing Coast Guard Captain Joseph Coyme. Those figures were given in a 2 a.m. report on the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council website. The vessel can carry about 400 people so it wasn’t overloaded, Balilo said. Search and rescue operations are continuing for the three who are missing, he said.