13 dead, over 100 missing after ferry sinks off S. Philippines

Alsharq Tribune-AFP 

At least 13 bodies were recovered and more than 100 people remained missing after an inter-island ferry carrying more than 300 passengers and crew sank early Monday morning in waters off Basilan province in the southern Philippines, authorities said.

The Philippine Coast Guard in Southwestern Mindanao said the ferry was en route to Jolo Island in Sulu province from Zamboanga City when it went down near Balukbaluk Island in Hadji Muhtamad, a municipality in Basilan province.

Rescue teams pulled at least 13 bodies from the water as of early Monday, while dozens of survivors were rescued by Coast Guard units, navy vessels, and nearby fishing boats, officials said.

The exact number of survivors was still being verified.

Search and rescue operations were ongoing, with aircraft and sea assets deployed to scour the area amid rough sea conditions.

Authorities said the cause of the sinking was still under investigation.