ILOILO CITY – A cargo ship carrying 5,000 metric tons of coal sank off the coast of Carles town in Iloilo at the height of the typhoon “Frank.”

Six crew members died, fifteen were missing, while four others were rescued in Masbate, Commodore William Melad, Coast Guard Western Visayas District Commander, said in a telephone interview.

The M/V Lake Paoay operated by the Semirara Mining Co. left Semirara Island in Antique on Thursday en route to Toledo City in Cebu. The 2,335-ton ship was transporting coal from Semirara Island to a coal-fired power plant in Toledo City in Cebu when it sank around 4 a.m. on Saturday.

Melad said they received a report that the ship was missing on Sunday. Coast Guard divers located the sunken ship between Punta Carles and Sitio Luyo yesterday morning.

Presidential Assistant for Western Visayas Raul Banias said the site of the sinking is around 4 km from the coast of Carles.

The remains of the fatalities, and the survivors will be picked up by plane in Masbate by the cargo ship's owner.

The Coast Guard is also searching for three missing crew members of cargo vessel M/V Ocean Papa which sank off the coast of Culasi in Antique at noon last Saturday. A crew member died and 24 others were rescued, said Melad.*NPB

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