MANILA, Philippines (UPDATE 4) - A roll on-roll off (Ro-Ro) vessel carrying at least 62 people sank in waters off Burias Island in Masbate province early Friday. Two passengers have been confirmed dead.
Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) officials said that the ship M/V Lady of Mount Carmel left Pio Duran in Albay at 2 a.m. and was en route to Aroroy, Masbate when it sank at around 5:30 a.m.
The first fatality recovered by PCG personnel during search and rescue operations was identified as Perlita Senia, 50.
Bayani Benisario, PCG deputy commander, said that another passenger has been recovered dead. He added that a total of 34 people have also been rescued.
Among the rescued people was ship captain Lauro Mateo, who said in radio interview that the ship actually had 22 crew members and 40 passengers.
Coast Guard Seaman First Class John Michael Mandane said in a separate radio interview that the weather was fair when the vessel sank. He said that based on initial reports, the ship went off-center and tilted before it sank.
The captain confirmed in the radio interview that the ship tilted before it sank.
"Biglaan yung nangyari, tumagilid," Mateo said, adding that the ship had just underwent maintenance.
He said that not all of the passengers were given life vests, which, he said, were distributed by the crew as the ship was sinking.
Mateo also clarified that he was only a reliever for the ship's original captain.
Mandane, meanwhile, said that ship could longer be seen from the surface of the water where it sank, about 10 to 15 nautical miles from the island.
"Yung Ro-Ro 'di na makita, lumubog na talaga," he said.
The ship was also carrying two buses and a six-wheeler truck. (From Philstar.com)