MANILA: Philippine authorities said yesterday they had abandoned hope of finding alive seven people missing from a ferry, which sank last week with dozens on board, after three days of searching in strong currents.
Rescuers recovered two bodies from the sea and rescued 61 others after the Lady of Mount Carmel went down Friday off the coast of central Masbate island, more than 300 km southeast of Manila.
Regional civil defense chief Raffy Alejandro said divers had not been able to reach the sunken ferry, believed to be lying on the seabed 1,300 feet (396 meters) under water.
“We are shifting from rescue to retrieval. We will search only if someone spots something floating near the coastline,” he told reporters. He said they had also withdrawn some of the search and rescue vessels.
The ferry mysteriously sank in calm weather before dawn on Friday about two km (1.2 miles) from Burias Island.
Alejandro said the sunken ship was in water too deep to be reached by navy divers so it could not be determined if any bodies were trapped inside.
Coast guard officials originally refused to give up hope for the missing, believing they could have swum or drifted to nearby islands.
But Alejandro said the decision to end rescue efforts was made due to lack of progress and signs of impending bad weather.
The sinking of the ferry has raised questions as it came apparently in clear weather and smooth seas. Survivors are also reported to have accused the crew of not attending to them as the ship was sinking.
Sea accidents are common in the Philippines due to poor safety standards and overloading.
The world’s deadliest peacetime maritime disaster occurred near Manila in 1987 when a ferry laden with Christmas holidaymakers collided with a small oil tanker, killing more than 4,300 people.
Phillipines abandon search for missing 7
Phillipines abandon search for missing 7
Political stability at stake as Malaysia’s Najib awaits verdict in biggest 1MDB trial
- A Malaysian high court will decide on Friday whether to convict Najib of four more charges of corruption and 21 counts of money laundering involving the illegal transfer of about 2.2 billion ringgit ($539 million) from 1MDB
KUALA LUMPUR: Jailed former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak will hear a verdict on Friday in the biggest trial he faces over the multibillion-dollar 1MDB scandal, a ruling that could risk deepening tensions within the administration of current premier Anwar Ibrahim.
Investigators have said about $4.5 billion was allegedly stolen from 1Malaysia Development Berhad, a state fund co-founded by Najib in 2009, and that more than $1 billion allegedly made its way into his personal bank accounts. Najib, 72, last year apologized for mishandling the scandal while in office but he has consistently denied wrongdoing, saying he was misled by 1MDB officials and a fugitive financier, Jho Low, on the source of the funds. In 2020, Najib was convicted of graft and money laundering for illegally receiving funds from a 1MDB unit and began a 12-year prison sentence two years later after losing all his appeals. That sentence was later halved by a pardons board chaired by Malaysia’s king, with Najib due for release in 2028.
A Malaysian high court will decide on Friday whether to convict Najib of four more charges of corruption and 21 counts of money laundering involving the illegal transfer of about 2.2 billion ringgit ($539 million) from 1MDB.
If found guilty, he could face maximum jail terms of between 15 and 20 years on each charge, as well as a fine of up to five times the value of the alleged misappropriations.
The implementation of the penalties, however, could be stayed pending further appeals.
VERDICTS TEST GOVERNMENT STABILITY
The decision will be closely watched after another court this week dismissed a bid by Najib to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest.
That ruling reignited tensions in Anwar’s ruling administration, which includes Najib’s party, the United Malays National Organization.
UMNO campaigned against Anwar in a 2022 election but joined his coalition to form a government after the poll ended in a hung parliament.
Several UMNO leaders expressed disappointment with the decision to deny Najib house arrest, saying it risked diluting the powers of Malaysia’s rulers, while others were angered by social media posts by some members of Anwar’s coalition celebrating the ruling.
Anwar this week called for all parties to handle news of the verdict with patience and wisdom, adding that it was “inappropriate to muddy the atmosphere or add tension” even if there were those who chose not to sympathize with Najib and his family. A guilty verdict for Najib on Friday could strain ties further, with some UMNO leaders already calling for the party to review its pact with Anwar or withdraw from the government altogether. An acquittal, however, may weaken Anwar, who has been under pressure to uphold his credentials as an anti-graft campaigner. Anwar has been accused by critics of betraying progressive voters and allies after prosecutors dropped some corruption charges against Najib and other UMNO figures. The premier has repeatedly said he does not interfere in court cases.
