2 hurt as ship with 959 passengers tilts off Zamboanga

Two people were reported hurt as a “SuperFerry 9" vessel bound for Iloilo from General Santos City listed off Zamboanga Peninsula before dawn Sunday.Coast Guard and Navy ships rushed to the scene early Sunday to rescue some 959 passengers from the tilting ship.“Mga 150 passengers na ang rescued ng MV Ocean Integrity, may dalawang reported injured (A nearby ship, MV Ocean Integrity, rescued 150 passengers, but two were reported injured)," Coast Guard commandant Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo said in an interview on dzBB radio, citing initial reports reaching his office.But he said no details were immediately available on the two injured passengers.Tamayo said the SuperFerry was located off Siocon in Zamboanga Peninsula. He said initial reports showed the ship had problems when its generator set went “on and off."He said the Coast Guard already called for assistance from the Philippine Navy, Philippine National Police, and local government units in the Zamboanga Peninsula area.Tamayo said that as of 7:30 a.m., the Navy’s boats 116 and 117 have reached the area.Even former Rep. Romeo Jalosjos has sent fishing boats to help in the search-and-rescue operations, he said.Radio dzBB’s Lito Laparan reported the SuperFerry 9, which had 847 passengers and 112 crew, had listed more than 50 degrees as of 6:30 a.m. Sunday.