Four bodies recovered from sunken Philippine ferry (2nd Lead)

Jun 22, 2008, 5:10 GMT

Manila - At least four dead bodies and three survivors were recovered Sunday from a passenger ferry that sunk in rough seas with more than 800 people on board in the central Philippines, police and local officials said.

The three survivors were reportedly found in the village of Mabini in San Fernando town on Sibuyan Island, according to town Mayor Nanette Tansingco.

'The survivors were found in Mabini village and we have dispatched a team to check on them, but it will take a while for them to reach the area,' she told a Manila radio station.

Police and local volunteers earlier found four dead bodies on the shores of three villages in San Fernando, according to town police chief Inspector Reynaldo Reyes.

'One cadaver was an old woman who was tied to a foam mattress,' he said. 'We didn't see any other bodies and there were few items found on the shores. We fear that more bodies are trapped inside the ferry.'

The ill-fated MV Princess of the Star suffered engine trouble and was battered by huge waves and strong winds spawned by Typhoon Fenshen while in the seas off Sibuyan Island on Saturday.

The ferry, carrying 702 passengers and 121 crew members, was on its way to nearby Cebu province from Manila when the accident occurred.

The coast guard and navy dispatched rescue vessels to the area on Saturday, but the ships had to turn back because of bad weather.

'One of our ships had to abort its mission because of the gigantic waves and pounding rain and gusty winds,' said navy spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Edgard Arevalo.

'We are waiting until the weather is at least permissive,' he added. 'We don't want to complicate the problems if our personnel will later be the one needing rescue.'

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who left for a 10-day trip to the United States on Saturday, scolded coast guard chief Vice Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo during a conference call for allowing the ferry to leave Manila despite a typhoon warning.