Twelve dead after Philippine ferry sinks

MANILA, July 12 (Reuters) Twelve people were killed and scores were missing after a ferry sank off the central Philippines before dawn today, officials said.

More than 100 people survived when the Blue Water Princess capsized off San Francisco town in Quezon province, about 150 km (93 miles) south of Manila, but the military said more than 250 were on board and scores were still missing.

Military spokesman Colonel Rhoderick Parayno said the vessel capsized about 500 metres offshore as it was making for safety in bad weather.

He said 12 bodies had been recovered and 129 people rescued. Navy ships were en route to the area but two air force helicopters had to turn back because of the bad weather.

Separately, another 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 common and so are accidents.

In December 1987, a ferry sank after colliding with a tanker in the Sibuyan Sea in the central Philippines, killing about 4,400 people.

Reuters AE DB1145