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Murder charges over capsized ferry

July 4, 2015

Police in the Philippines have filed murder charges against the owner and crew of a ferry that capsized on Thursday, leaving more than 50 passengers dead. Initial investigations suggest the vessel was overloaded.

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Philippinen Fährunglück Rettungskräfte Bergung Schiffbrüchige
Image: Reuters/A.-K. Motus

The murder charges were filed late on Friday against 19 people, including the ship operator, the captain and 17 crew members of the Kim Nirvana passenger ferry, according to Ormoc City police head, Chief Superintendent Asher Dolina.

Dolina told the AFP news agency that the captain and crew had not shown due care, which demonstrated "an intent to kill."

Under Philippine law, murder convictions can carry a sentence of up to 40 years' imprisonment.

The Kim Nirvana capsized minutes after leaving port in Ormoc City on Thursday, killing at least 59 passengers. Officials say some 145 people were rescued, including all 18 crew members.

Poor safety record

The ship capsized in relatively calm seas, with initial investigations suggesting that the vessel may have been overloaded either with passengers or cargo.

Search operations with rescue divers ceased on Friday, before the ship was raised from the water and lifted to the port's berthing area.

Sea travel is an essential mode of transportation in the Philippines with its more than 7,000 islands, but safety standards are often lax, resulting in frequent accidents.

In 1987, the country saw the world's worst peacetime maritime disaster when the Dona Paz ferry collided with an oil tanker just days before Christmas, killing more than 4,300.

tj/ng (AFP, dpa, AP)