Mishap in marsh leaves 10 dead

COTABATO CITY, Philippines — Ten people drowned and two others were reported missing when a motorized boat capsized at dusk Monday in a deep portion of the Liguasan marsh near Sultan sa Barongis in Maguindanao, officials reported yesterday.

Sultan sa Barongis Mayor Allan Angas, chairman of the municipal disaster council, said the bodies of the 10 victims had been recovered. As of last night, rescue teams were still looking for the two missing passengers.

“There were 16 passengers in all. The victims came from a family gathering and were on their way home to our town,” Angas told The STAR.

Angas said barangay officials and fishermen who joined the search teams recovered the bodies of the victims.

He said the police, military and local members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front also helped in the search and rescue operations.

Angas said the four passengers who were rescued have returned to their homes.

He said the overloaded boat overturned when strong winds caused waves in the Liguasan marsh, a 220,000-hectare swampy area bounded by Maguindanao, North Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat provinces.