Survivors rescued yesterday from a sinking ferry in the Philippines spoke of being tossed around by rough seas in the darkness before being plucked out of the water by a passing ship.
The M/V Maharlika II sank after suffering steering failure and was battered by big waves in the waters of Southern Leyte.
"Death was in our minds for several hours in the water," said survivor Romeo Cabag, who had been clinging to an overcrowded life raft in the water for six hours before being rescued.
Cabag along with dozens of other people were rescued by a passing cargo ship.
An estimated 110 were rescued while there were three confirmed fatalities according to the coast guard.
An additional three people are unaccounted for said Coast Guard commander Armand Balilo, adding that 116 passengers and crew were reportedly on the ship’s manifest.
Balilo said no official storm warning had been posted before the ship set sail from Lipata port in Surigao City on Saturday.
An initial coast guard report said the ship "may have been slowed by rough seas and big waves spawned by Typhoon Luis."
