Navy recovers 3 more bodies off Burias Island
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Navy has recovered three more bodies believed to be from the ferry that capsized at the height of typhoon “Frank’s” (international codename: Fengshen) fury over the weekend on the shores of Burias Island on Wednesday, and was en route to recover around 30 more in open sea, a Navy spokesman said.
The fatalities, supposed passengers of the MV Princess of the Stars, were found by a reconnaissance aircraft from the United Sates military, that in turn, alerted local authorities, said Lieutenant Colonel Edgard Arevalo.
The victims, all wearing life jackets, were found on the beach in Palana point early this morning. One of the three could be a foreigner based on the skin color, Arevalo added.
The Navy’s Patrol Ship 28, which recovered the three, is sailing to 17 nautical miles off Burias Island to recover the 30 others, Arevalo said.
Referring to the three bodies found in Palana point, Arevalo said: “They were wearing life vests. They [appeared to have] died struggling, due to hypothermia.”
“Our theory is, they could have jumped from the ship but they did not reach the life rafts,” Arevalo said.
Several confirmed fatalities from the M/V Princess of the Stars were found in Burias Island. The inter-island ferry, carrying 862 passengers and crew, capsized due to rough seas from Typhoon “Frank” (international codename: Fengshen) last Saturday.
View article as posted on INQUIRER.net
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