Philippines Ferry Collision Leaves At Least 17 People Dead

So far, at least 17 people were reported dead, including children, after a Philippines passenger ferry sank Friday night following a collision with a cargo vessel off the coast of Talisay City, Cebu, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said.

The passenger vessel involved was the 2GO MV St. Thomas Aquinas and the cargo ship was Sulpicio Express 7. A total of 692 passengers and crew members were reportedly on board the vessel when it collided head-on with the cargo ship at around 8:45 p.m.  According to survivors, many of the passengers were asleep and they struggled to find their way in the dark.

Authorities said 575 passengers have been rescued, as of 12:35 a.m. Survivors were brought to the hospital.

The MV St. Thomas Aquinas came from Agusan del Norte and was headed for Manila via Cebu.

The cause of the collision was not immediately known.

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