The Philippine Coast Guard will send divers this Tuesday (27) to search for passengers missing after the sinking of a vessel with more than 300 people on board, on its way to the province of Sulu, in the south of the country, which left at least 18 people dead.
The Department of Transport also suspended the entire passenger fleet of Aleson Shipping, operator of the sunken vessel, noting that the company has been involved in 32 maritime accidents.
The Coast Guard reported that 316 people were rescued, while 10 remained missing, after , local time, as it headed to Jolo in Sulu province after departing Zamboanga.
The cause of the sinking is still being investigated.
Aleson Shipping operates a network of inter-island routes in Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago.
Captain Noemie Cayabyab, spokeswoman for the PCG (Philippine Coast Guard), said the total number of people on board was revised to 344, instead of the 359 initially announced, after verifying that 15 people listed on the manifest did not board.
The Coast Guard reported that the vessel has an authorized capacity for 352 passengers. The PCG also stated that it is not yet prepared to draw conclusions about the causes of the ferry sinking, as the investigation remains ongoing.
Maritime accidents are common in the Philippines, an archipelago with more than 7,000 islands and a spotty record on maritime safety.
