Ferry in distress off Philippines

[FarCenter]

More than 900 passengers and crewmen have been ordered to abandon a ferry after it began to dangerously list in the southern Philippines.

Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo, the coast guard chief, said on Sunday that search and rescue vessels have been deployed to an area off the Zamboanga peninsula, where the Superferry 9 was listing.

he ship was carrying 847 passengers and 117 crew. It left the southern city of General Santos on Saturday and was scheduled to arrive in Iloilo city in the central Philippines later on Sunday.

The ferry apparently ran into some problems midway and began to list, according to Jess Supan, vice president of the Aboitiz Transport System, the ferry owner, but the cause of the problem was not yet clear.

<snip>http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia-pacific/2009/09/20099523541341679.html

[CurtEastPoint]

1. I'm hoping for a safe return for these folks. n/t

[malaise]

2. I hope these people are rescued

I'm betting this ferry does not have life jackets or life boats for so many people.