Only 56 people are known to have survived the June 21 disaster, and at least 700 bodies are believed trapped in the vessel, which ran aground and capsized off Sibuyan island in the central Philippines during a typhoon.

Attempts to bring the bodies out came to an abrupt halt last week when shipping officials said the cargo included 10 tonnes of endosulfan, a toxic pesticide.

“We have made a decision that we want to just refloat the vessel,” Elena Bautista, transportation undersecretary and head of a government task force handling the ferry disaster, told reporters in the central Cebu City.

“It’s the best way to get all the bodies out and the cargo and dangerous goods inside.”

Bautista said the government has scrapped an option to bore a hole in the ship’s hull due to “too many risks involved.” Bautista said the ship’s owners, Sulpicio Lines Inc., had been informed of the plan and had agreed to pay for the salvage operations that could take two months.

Water samples taken from the sea off Sibuyan island showed there had been no contamination but a fishing ban around the area has remained in force.

The sinking of the MV Princess of the Stars is the country’s worst sea accident since the Dona Paz ferry collided with an oil tanker in 1987, killing more than 4,000 people.

Sulpicio Lines also owned the Dona Paz. The company has also been involved in two other major shipping accidents.

Subscribe to The China Post and save.  Click hereSharePrintEmail

Write a Comment

Enter your comments - 800 characters max

Receive China Post promos

Respond to this email