MANILA, Aug 3 (NNN-PNA) – A ferry boat with about 70 people on board, sank off Quezon province, in the south of Luzon island in the Philippines, local media reported, today.
Philippine Coast Guard confirmed the accident, without providing further details, adding, a search and rescue operation is ongoing.
Ferry accidents are common in the country, mainly due to frequent storms, ill-maintained boats, overcrowding and weak enforcement of safety regulations.
Last week, a passenger boat with a maximum capacity of 42, carrying nearly 70 people, capsized in Laguna de Bay, off Rizal province, east of Manila, resulting in 27 deaths.
