A female crew member died while 15 others were rescued after a passenger vessel sank off the waters of Ormoc Port in Leyte late Friday evening.
The Philippine Coast Guard identified the fatality as Raquel Alo, purser of M/V Lite Ferry 3 of Danilo Lines Inc.
A resident of Balilihan, Bohol, Alo was trapped inside the vessel after it sank “while conducting a docking maneuver” at Ormoc Port.
Alo’s body was retrieved around 3 a.m. Saturday, found pinned under several pieces of cargo.
The 15 survivors, on the other hand, were turned over to the Ormoc City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office for medical assistance.
Coast Guard Eastern Visayas commander Angel Viliran said the vessel arrived in Ormoc from Mandaue Ouano Wharf in Cebu.
The PCG said the ferry likely encountered big waves while on its way to the port.
“Danilo Lines Inc. regret to announce that one of its vessels, M/V Lite Ferry 3, encountered an incident at the Port of Ormoc City moments after its arrival at the said port. At the moment, the vessel is partially submerged in the water,” Danilo Lines said in a Facebook post.