Bodies from Sabah-bound ferry found floating
Published on: Saturday, August 18, 2018
TAWI-TAWI : Seven decomposing bodies were recovered by the Philippine Coast Guard in waters off Sitangkai, believed from a ferry that sank at the area while on its way to Sabah, Malaysia, on July 31.Philippine Coast Guard Commander Lt Euphraim Jayson Diciano said the recovered bodies included that of a 10-year-old girl, Mahmuda Buhari, and six other unidentified women."The women were among 15 passengers of the ferry bound for Sabah that capsized after it was hit by big waves off Siamel, Sabah, on July 30," he said.
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The bodies were turned over to local provincial officials and buried due to advanced stage of decomposition. Ferry operators do not usually maintain a list of passengers and a lone survivor told local officials of Sapa-Sapa municipality that the victims were on board the vessel.All the victims reportedly came from Sapa-Sapa town."There is an ongoing search operation for the remaining missing," Diciano said, adding eight of those missing were minors, aged between six and seven.
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On April 2000, 56 people died, 27 of them children, when a ferry bound for Tawi-Tawi sank off Jolo, Sulu. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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The country's deadliest maritime disaster occurred on December 20, 1987 when a passenger ferry, MV Doña Paz, sank after colliding with the oil tanker while traveling to Manila from Leyte, leaving over 4,000 people dead. - Nikko Fabian
