Coast Guard verifies report that ship off Sibuyan had capsized

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) is verifying reports that the ferry, which ran aground off Sibuyan Island in Romblon province, has already capsized. Vice Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo, commandant of the PCG, told radio dzBB on Sunday that a rescue ship was sent to the area to check on MV Princess of the Stars that carried 702 passengers and 121 crew members. He said the PCG received reports that the local populace saw a "silhouette of a capsized ship." "Ito ay iba-validate pa natin kasi alam naman natin na maraming nai-uulat na maritime incidents. Hindi tayo nakakatiyak kung 'yon bang tinutukoy nila ang ating hinahanap. (We will validate the information in the midst of various reports we receive about maritime incidents. We are not yet sure if the ship they are talking about is the same ship we are looking for)," he said. Tamayo said he expected the PCG's rescue ship to reach the area within two to three hours. The ship owned by Sulpicio Lines that was bound for Cebu left Manila on Friday, at 8 p.m. In an interview with a radio station on Sunday, Nanette Tansingco, mayor of San Fernando town in Romblon, said that she received reports from a police and Bantay Dagat team that the ship had sunk off the island of Sibuyan. She said the team saw four dead bodies. - GMANews.TV