ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines
Search teams continued search operations Tuesday for possible survivors and the recovery of more bodies as the death toll in the sinking of a ferry off Leyte in the central Philippines climbed to eight.
Officials said that the navy had recovered five more bodies Monday afternoon, in addition to the three that were found hours after Maharlik 2 sank Saturday in towering waves and a strong current off Northern Mindanao - the second largest and southernmost major island in the country.
The ferocious conditions were generated by Typhoon Kalmaegi that battered the Philippines Saturday and Sunday.
According to Capt. Joseph Coyme, Deputy District Commander of the Philippine Coast Guard, the recovery of the five bodies — two adult females, two males and a child – came amid the continuing search and rescue operations in the Surigao Strait, which lies between between the Bohol Sea and the Leyte Gulf of the Philippine Sea.
A total of 113 survivors were rescued while at least three others remain missing, Coyme told reporters.
He said more people could be missing since many people have come forward asking for the whereabouts of their relatives since Sunday. Although the vessel only listed 58 passengers and 22 crew he quoted Maharlika 2 skipper Juan Cuyago as saying they counted 116 people on board before giving the order to abandon ship.
Among those searching for relatives was 57-year old survivor Jessie Saberon, who said her husband, Felizardo and granddaughter, Tepani, were both missing.
Their names were not on the list of missing passengers. Survivors and relatives waiting word on missing loved ones continue to gather Tuesday at the port from where the ship had sailed.
Capt. Kieser C. Gatdula of the Philippine Air Force said helicopters had already made four circuits around the area where the ship went down but could not see any sign of life.
“We been hovering the area that’s 25 nautical miles but we have just seen scattered life jackets,” he told reporters.
Boats from the Philippine Navy continue to search the area.
Maharlika 2 sank around 6 p.m. Saturday off Pintuyan, Southern Leyte after losing control while heading for Liloan, Southern Leyte.
Several other boats plying the Surigao-San Ricardo, Southern Leyte route canceled voyages Saturday due to the bad weather conditions.
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