Coast guard spokesman Armand Balilo said the ferry had been lashed by strong waves. At least 118 passengers were rescued by nearby fishing boats and coast guard personnel or swam to safety off Ormoc, the Associated Press reported.
It reported that at least 19 people were missing. Survivors told the news agency by cellphone that the bow of the ferry suddenly rose from the water before the vessel flipped over on one side and began to sink.
Ciriaco Tolibao from Ormoc`s disaster risk reduction and management office told AFP that divers were searching for survivors. "We`re scouring the ship for more survivors who may be trapped inside the hull," he said. "We hope to finish the rescue before dark and before it starts to rain."
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