By Roy Ramos and Hader Glang

ZAMBOANGA, Philippines

At least seven people were confirmed dead Monday while two others remained missing after a motorboat capsized in the central Philippines.

Strong waves caused the M/B Tawash vessel to overturn at around 5.30 p.m. (0930GMT) Sunday on a journey from Iloilo city to the nearby island province of Guimaras, the state-run Philippines News Agency (PNA) cited the coast guard as saying.

The outrigger boat had reportedly been carrying more than 40 people on board at the time.

Lt. Junior Grade Edison Diaz, chief of the coast guard’s Iloilo station, told Inquirer.net that rescue teams continued searching for the missing passengers, one of whom is the mother of two boys confirmed dead in the incident.

Around 33 other passengers and crewmembers were plucked from the sea by search and rescue teams, according to PNA.

Rosario Cabrera, director of the Office of Civil Defense in Western Visayas, declined to address whether the capsizing was related to Typhoon Koppu – locally known as “Lando” – whose strong winds and heavy rainfall have been sweeping across the archipelago’s north.

The agency quoted her as saying she had yet to be informed by the state weather bureau on whether the case was considered to be typhoon-related.

Meanwhile, Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog has summoned the local coast guard commander to ask why the passenger boat was allowed to leave port despite a gale warning advisory during the typhoon.

Coast guards recovered the capsized boat near Buenavista town in Guimaras Monday morning.