MANILA, Jul 28 (NNN-PNA) – At least 21 people died, after a passenger boat capsized in a lake, in Rizal province, east of Manila, yesterday afternoon, a spokesperson for the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the police said.
PCG spokesperson, Rear Admiral Armando Balilo, told a television interview that, at least 21 died in the accident that happened around 1:00 p.m. local time, approximately 45 metres away from Binangonan town.
Initially, the PCG said, 30 died from the accident. Balilo later corrected the figure.
The PCG said, the boat was travelling to Talim island in Laguna de Bay, the largest lake in the Philippines, from Binangonan town, when the accident happened.
The PCG said, strong winds buffeted the motorboat, triggering panic among the people aboard the boat. “They went to rage port side of the boat, causing it to capsize,” the PCG said.
The Rizal provincial police confirmed that 21 died from drowning, while 40 others survived the accident.
The accident occurred while Typhoon Doksuri was blowing away from the Philippines, triggering floods and landslides, resulting in at least five deaths.– NNN-PNA
