By Bernama,
Manila : The Philippine Coast Guard’s Manila station chief has been temporarily suspended from the post to give way to the investigation into the capsizal of a passenger ferry with 862 people on board.
Xinhua news agency quoted Coast Guard chief for the National Capital Region Commodore Luis Tuason as saying in the national online news network, that the coast guard authority wants to give the Board of Marine Inquiry (BMI) a free hand to determne the liabilities, if there were any.
Commander Erwin Balagas was replaced by Commander Danilo Ubaldo.
On its way from Manila to Cebu, the 23,800-tonne M/V Princess of the Stars sank off the Philippines’ central province of Romblon at the height of Typhoon Fengshen which lashed the archipelago from east to west over the weekend.
There were 862 people on board as the passenger ship, including 751 manifested passengers and 111 crew members.
By Wednesday, rescuers are only able to find 48 survivors and confirm 70 deaths.
BMI began its first investigation hearing on Wednesday, with Philippine Coast Guard and Maritime Industry Authority officials and ship owners subpoenaed to appear.