By Xinhua,
Manila : Philippine authorities said Monday they are sending divers to drill a hole in the hull of the capsized ferry, M/V Princess of the Stars, to get out passengers who might trapped inside the overturned ship.
Philippine Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo said at a press conference that he has ordered 14 coast guard divers to penetrate the vessel, with assistance from Navy and ship company’s diving crew.
Earlier Monday, Philippine navy divers who checked on the hull reported that there are “no signs of life” around the capsized passenger ferry.
But Tamayo said there might still be air pockets inside the ship, where survivors could have stayed, although more than 48 hours have passed since the ferry first went off.
The drilling is expected to process on Tuesday as the Navy announced that it would suspend rescue at night due to the insufficient equipments for late night operation.
The 23,800-ton ferry of the Sulpicio Lines, carrying 862 people on board, met rough weather at sea after it sailed off Manila en route to central city of Cebu on Saturday. The captain ordered passengers to abandon ship on Saturday noon and when rescuers came to the scene on Sunday afternoon, it had overturned and had only 1/15 of the hull above the water.
The authorities said earlier on Monday they were able to save and identify 34 survivors while they were checking the identities of another group of 25. The rest, the authorities said, remain missing.
Transportation Secretary Leandro Mendoza said on Monday helicopters were deployed to check the nearby areas for any lifeboats or survivors.
“The waves and wind must have been strong. We just hope we can recover more survivors,” he said.
The Navy has sent two patrol gunboats, a patrol ship, two helicopters, and a Navy Islander plane to the site, as the USNS Stockham of the United States Navy, with search and rescue helicopters aboard, has been ordered to proceed to the Philippines from Japan to augment the rescue team.