Philippine ferry mishap: Search for survivors ends, total 45 deaths

Manila

Anguished families wept over the bodies of dead relatives as the search for survivors from the Philippines' latest ferry disaster ended today with 45 confirmed deaths, officials said.

All 187 people on board the capsized Kim Nirvana were accounted for with 142 confirmed to have survived, Philippine Coast Guard spokesman Commander Armand Balilo said.

There were 187 people on board the capsized Kim Nirvana, Philippine Coast Guard spokesman Commander Armand Balilo told AFP.

The 33-tonne boat capsized in a calm sea several hundred metres (yards) from Ormoc city port yesterday while on a regular trip to neighbouring Camotes island.

Seven bodies were retrieved from the ship's upended wooden hull today, including that of a one-year-old boy.

"There's no more hope for survivors," Ciriaco Tolibao from the city's disaster risk reduction and management office told ANC television. 

As the search ended, authorities shifted to determining the cause of the latest in a string of deadly maritime tragedies in the sprawling archipelago of 100 million people. 

"We will get to the bottom of this and make sure that this does not happen again," Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya told reporters.

"Is it force majeure? Is it human error? We have to know all the facts before we talk about culpability."

Survivors all recounted how the vessel was backing out of port when it suddenly overturned, giving them no chance to put on life jackets.