Eight dead after Philippine boat sinks

MANILA, July 12 (Reuters) Eight people were killed and an undetermined number still missing after a passenger ferry sank off the central Philippines before dawn today, officials said.

At least 50 people survived when the Blue Water Princess capsized off San Francisco town in Quezon province, about 150 km (93 miles) south of Manila, but there was uncertainty about the total number of passengers on board.

The coast guard said 50 out of the 82 passengers and crew aboard had survived but Raffy Nantes, the governor of Quezon province, said 106 people had been rescued.

Nantes could not confirm how many people were originally on board.

A military spokesman said there were 256 people on the ferry. Lieutenant Colonel Rhoderick Parayno said navy ships were en route to the area. Two air force helicopters had to turn back after encountering bad weather.

The reason for the sinking was not clear.

Separately, a passenger ferry ran aground off the southern Philippine island of Mindanao today. There were no casualties.

Ferries of all descriptions ply the waters between the Philippines' 7,000-plus islands and safety standards are often lax. Overcrowding is a common problem.

Reuters AE DB1042