Cagayan sea tragedy death toll hits 23; 33 still missing
SOPHIA DEDACE, GMANews.TV 12/15/2008 | 10:16 AM
12/15/2008 | 10:16 AM
(Updated 6:23 p.m.) MANILA, Philippines – The death toll from the capsizing of a cargo-passenger vessel off Cagayan province over the weekend has been pegged at 23, an Associated Press report said on Monday.
The same report said that 33 others are still missing after the wooden-hulled Maejan, traveling from Calayan islands in the Luzon Strait, encountered strong waves and currents Sunday evening.
This contradicted an earlier Philippine Coast Guard report which said that the death toll from the capsizing of a cargo-passenger vessel off Cagayan province over the weekend was at 28.
In that statement, the PCG said that as of 8:30 a.m. Monday, 22 others remain missing after big waves caused the M/B Maejan to capsize off Ballesteros town in Cagayan, while 46 survivors have been secured.
Senior Superintendent Moro Lazo, Cagayan police director, said six more bodies have been recovered as of 9:30 a.m. Monday bringing to 28 the recovered fatalities.
“Rescue operations started at around 10:30 pm, we notified our stations in Aparri and Ballesteros and elements from the 1st and 2nd Police Provincial Mobile Group to and immediately conduct rescue operations based on reports of Mayor (Joseph) Llopis of Calayan," Lazo said.
The PCG said search and rescue operations “using available vessels in the locality" continue while PCG's Northern Luzon district’s Action Center has advised passing seacraft to assist in the ongoing search and rescue efforts.
“PCG commandant Vice Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo directed the immediate dispatch of SAR-003 and MCS-3005 vessels and the PCG Islander for aerial surveillance," the statement read.
The PCG is also coordinating with the Philippine Navy and Philippine Air Force for assistance in the search and rescue operations.
In an interview on dzBB radio earlier, Ballesteros police chief Senior Inspector Alex de los Santos identified 13 of the fatalities as:
• Amy Arellano;
• SB Winifredo Agarpao;
• Angel Suarez;
• Cristine Cangas;
• Eva Llopis;
• Ofelio Padero-Palmes;
• Paz Escalaante;
• Azela Tambao;
• Adena Tan-Arellano;
• Ralaine Allado;
• Leonardo Llopis;
• Marilou Menor; and
• Bella Llopis.
The PCG statement said Amy Arellano - who was among the fatalities - was the identified owner of the ill-fated vessel.
The statement said M/B Maejan left Calayan Island about 9:30 a.m. Sunday “but failed to enter the port of Aparri due to big waves and strong current until it was dragged and capsized at vicinity more ore less 50 meters from the shoreline of Pallog village" in Ballesteros town.
Reports indicated that M/B Maejan was carrying 96 passengers when it capsized. - GMANews.TV, AP
Philippine maritime disaster.
At least 28 people drowned and were confirmed dead, 46 were rescued, while 34 others remain missing on Sunday, after an overcrowded passenger  capsized off waters in , a town of 17,000 people, the  police reported. 

'M/B Mae Jan', a wooden-hulled , was carrying 102 passengers, after an eight-hour voyage from  in the  for  when it capsized less than 300 meters (984 feet) from its destination, at 8:30 p.m. Its   broke due to strong waves, as it reached the mouth of the  ('Bannag' Rio Grande de Cagayan, 'Ilog ng Kagayan'), along  Linao, about 50 meters from the shoreline of Pallog village.

Divers from the combined teams of the  and  helped in the rescue operations. 11 of the fatalities, including the vessel owner, Arellano, and her daughter were identified. The police said  "there was a possibility that the boat was overloaded," saying that "there was also livestock on board."  Due to "trauma," the ferry's captain refused to talk to police.

The Pinacanauan River, seen just below the , is one of the major tributaries of the Cagayan River.
Meanwhile, the  (PCG) formed a Special Board of Marine Inquiry (SBMI) to investigate the sea tragedy. It ordered the "immediate dispatch of SAR-003 and MCS-3005 vessels and the PCG Islander for aerial surveillance." PCG noted the  possible overloading of the vessel since the boat's franchise authorized it to carry only 40 passengers and 10 crew members.

In November, a  sank in rough seas north of Cagayan, and passing vessels rescued 16 of 20 passengers. Weeks earlier, separate storms sank two passenger vessels in the central Philippines, drowning more than 50 people.

Prior to the ferry sinking, the  had issued  to , of approaching tropical storm "Ulysses" (international codename: Dolphin) from the Pacific with winds of up to 60 miles (95 kilometers) per hour, centered off southeastern , eastern Philippines.