Raw : Fears are growing for more than 700 people on board a ferry which has capsized in the central Philippines in the wake of Typhoon Fengshen. The ship has been out of radio contact for more than 24 hours and gale force winds are hampering rescue efforts. Officials on a nearby island have reported three survivors. They also said four bodies had been recovered. The Red Cross estimates More.. some 155 people have died across the country in floods and landslides caused by the storm. The Philippine President, Gloria Arroyo, has demanded an explanation as to why the ferry was allowed to leave port on Friday despite warnings that a typhoon was about to hit. "Why did you allow it to sail and why was there no ample warning? I want answers," she told civil defence and coast guard authorities during a briefing on the accident. The 23,824-tonne ferry, the Princess of the Stars, has a passenger capacity of 1,992. There is some confusion over the number of people on board. TIMELINE OF EVENTS Ferry leaves Manila on Friday 626 passengers and 121 crew on board Engines failed Saturday afternoon Radio contact lost soon afterwards Rescuers reach ship on Sunday afternoon The BBC's Michael Barker, in Manila, says that according to officials the ferry was carrying 626 passengers and 121 crew. However, local reports put the figure on board as high as 820. The vessel was en route to Cebu from Manila, and according to its owners, Sulpicio Lines, contact was lost at about 1230 (0430 GMT) on Saturday, Reuters reported. Coastguard officials said the ferry's engine failed on Saturday afternoon and that the vessel then ran aground several kilometres off Sibuyan, in Romblon province. Worried relatives have been gathering at the offices of Sulpicio Lines. One relative, Lina Salinas, said she had waved off her sister on the 22-hour voyage on Friday. "We knew it was signal number 1 (the first stage of typhoon alerts) at the time...
Raw : Fears are growing for more than 700 people on board a ferry which has capsized in the central ...
