7 dead in Philippine ferry sinking, floods

Manila — Heavy storms in the Philippines killed at least seven people and left more than a dozen others feared missing at sea, rescuers said Wednesday. Five of the confirmed fatalities occurred when a wooden-hulled passenger ferry capsized about 10km from port off the southwestern island of Palawan Tuesday. At least 17 other people were believed to be missing, based on the ferry’s manifest, Palawan coastguard spokeswoman Ensign Greanata Jude told AFP. But she said the authorities thought many more could be missing as ferry masters frequently misdeclare the actual number of passengers on board to evade safety regulations. Two people were also killed and another reported missing when heavy rains lashed the southern island of Mindanao. — AFP