Philippine ferry disaster may be due to overloading; death toll reaches 61

Ormoc City

The death toll from a ferry that capsized in the central Philippines has risen to 61, the coast guard said today, indicating that the vessel was overloaded.

Whether the ferry was carrying too many people will be part of an investigation into last week's disaster off the city of Ormoc, which has seen the boat's owner and crew charged with murder.

Coast guard figures showed that 61 people had died when the wooden Kim Nirvana capsized, with at least 145 people listed as survivors.

This would mean at least 206 people were onboard, exceeding the 194 passengers and crew the boat was authorised to carry. The heavy cargo the ferry was transporting may also have played a role, authorities have said. 

"The number of bodies is more than we expected," said Captain Pedro Tinampay, the regional coast guard chief, refusing to speculate how many might still be missing.

Only 173 passengers and 16 crew were listed on the boat's manifest.

The crew have been accused of reckless behaviour, with an initial police investigation and interviews with survivors indicating the vessel turned abruptly causing it to capsize.

The police investigation is separate from a coast guard enquiry, which will primarily determine the cause of the mishap. However, the coast guard may also recommend criminal and administrative charges.