Reuters
Members of the Philippine Coast Guard continue the search and rescue operations around the capsized passenger boat M/B Princess Aya, in Binangonan, Rizal province, Philippines, July 28.
All 67 persons onboard a ferry boat that half-submerged Thursday afternoon off Quezon province in the south of Luzon island have been rescued, said the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).
The passenger motorboat, carrying 60 passengers and seven crew, "half-submerged" while traversing the vicinity waters off Polillo island of the Quezon province at around 1pm local time, the PCG said in a statement.
All passengers were brought to safety and assessed in good physical condition, the PCG said, adding there was no report of casualties or missing.
The passenger boat, leaving Patnanungan town in Quezon province at around 10am local time, was on its way to Real Town in the same province when the accident happened. Local media earlier reported that about 70 people were onboard.
The passengers and crew were waiting to be transported to the intended destination, said the PCG.
Ferry accidents are common in the archipelagic country, mainly due to frequent storms, badly maintained boats, overcrowding and weak enforcement of safety regulations.
Last week a passenger boat with a maximum capacity of 42, carrying nearly 70 people, capsized in Laguna de Bay off Rizal province, east of Manila, resulting in 27 deaths.