Manila : At least 13 people died and 690 were rescued in sea waters off Cebu province where the passenger ship MV St. Thomas Aquinas collided with the cargo ship MV Sulpicio Express 7 Friday evening.
"We don't know if there are still people missing," Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Rear Admiral Luis Tuason Jr. told local radio early on Saturday. He cited a discrepancy between the ferry's manifest and the actual number of people known to have died or been saved.
Tuason earlier said the MV St. Thomas Aquinas had just left the port and bound for Manila when the MV Sulpicio Express 7 collided with it in the dark. Tuason is the PCG vice commandant for operations.
"We don't know if there are still people missing," Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Rear Admiral Luis Tuason Jr. told local radio early on Saturday. He cited a discrepancy between the ferry's manifest and the actual number of people known to have died or been saved.
Tuason earlier said the MV St. Thomas Aquinas had just left the port and bound for Manila when the MV Sulpicio Express 7 collided with it in the dark. Tuason is the PCG vice commandant for operations.
Meanwhile, Central Visayas regional police director Generoso Cerbo Jr. said the casualties have yet to be identified.
Cerbo said the ships collided in zero visibility at around 9:00 p.m. near the seawaters off Talisay and Cordova. These two towns are near Cebu City on the northeast section of Cebu province.
Admiral Tuason said the passenger ship was badly damaged while the cargo ship was not disabled and joined the sea rescue.
He said the rescue operations involve Coast Guard personnel at the port and fishing vessels in the area.
