Rescuers rush to find missing ferry passengers

Source: Agencies  |   2008-6-23  |     ONLINE EDITION

1/2   In this handout photo released by the Philippine Navy shown is a portion of the sunken MV Princess of the Stars off Sibuyan island, central Philippines yesterday. Typhoon Fengshen lashed the Philippines leaving more than 130 people dead as it submerged entire communities and capsized a passenger ferry carrying more than 700 passengers and crew. More in photo gallery

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RESCUERS considered boring a hole in an overturned ferry today in a desperate attempt to find survivors among more than 800 missing passengers and crew, after Typhoon Fengshen carved its deadly swath through the Philippines.

Hopes dwindled by the hour that large groups of survivors might be found in areas where communications were cut off by the weekend storm that left 163 people dead in flooded communities. Divers rapped on the hull of the 23,824-ton Princess of Stars but heard no response from inside.

Only 38 wave-battered survivors have been found so far, including 28 who drifted at sea for more than 24 hours in life jackets before they were found Sunday about 80 miles (130 kilometers) to the north in Mulanay township, in eastern Quezon province.

But bodies were washing up on shore to the west and northwest, too. The coast guard said it was checking a survivor's report that at least one group of people, dead and alive, had been spotted bobbing in the sea.

A number of coast guard and navy ships swarmed to the area but were largely kept at bay by big waves in the still-roiling waters. A US Navy ship was being dispatched from Okinawa.

Officials initially reported 747 passengers and crew were aboard the ferry, but said Monday that it was carrying about 100 more.

While some relatives tearfully waited for news, others were angry that the ship was allowed to leave Manila late Friday for a 20-hour trip to Cebu with a typhoon approaching. Debate began anew on safe-sailing rules in a country prone to storms -- Fengshen was the seventh typhoon this year -- and dependent on ferries to get around the sprawling archipelago.

The ship ran aground around noon Saturday a few miles (kilometers) off central Sibuyan island, then capsized.