7 dead as boat sinks off Iloilo

MANILA, Philippines - Six children and a 72-year-old woman died when a pump boat carrying 15 people capsized in the waters off Barangay Tambaliza, Concepcion town in Iloilo on Saturday.

Reports said the incident happened at about 2:30 p.m. as storm signal number one was raised over the northern part of the province.

The fatalities were identified as siblings Paulo, 10; Jenea,8, and Christopher Hans, one month old, all surnamed Cañete, and Rachelle, 6; Justine, 4, and Redan, 2, all surnamed Rico, and their grandmother, Aurea.

Christopher Hans, Justine, and Redan were declared dead on arrival at the Jesus Colmenares District Hospital in Balasan town while Jenea died hours later.

The bodies of Paolo and Rachelle were found by members of a search and rescue team in Barangay Alitapa and Barangay Lantagan, both in Carles town yesterday morning.

Aurea was found in the afternoon in Sicogon Island in Barangay Alitapa.

Senior Inspector Fernan Limbungan, Concepcion police chief, said the victims were on their way home from a fiesta in Sitio Punting when rain fell and strong winds battered the boat, causing it to tip over.

 The survivors drifted for several hours before another pump boat rescued them at around 11 a.m. yesterday in Barangay Buaya, Carles.

Eight were reported to have survived the incident.

They were identified as Alexander Rico, 8; Kurt Guillen, 10; Jeffrey Panican, 11; Gilbert Panican, 15; April Rose Rico, 28; Maricel Cañete, 35; Elna Burdan, 40, and Marlon Panican, the boat captain.

April Rose, the mother of the three fatalities, said she tried to save her children but  Rachelle drifted away. She managed to save only Alexander. – With Cecille Suerte Felipe, Danny Dangcalan