The Philippine coast guard said a ferry carrying 251 people capsized in the waters off a remote island Thursday.
A coast guard spokesman says rescue boats and helicopters have been dispatched to an area near Polillo island, about 70 kilometers northeast of Manila. The ferry sank as it was sailing through a rough storm on a trip from the town of Real in Quezon province to Polillo.
The coast guard spokesman said there are reports of casualties from the capsized ship, but they have not been confirmed.
Sea accidents are a common occurrence in the Philippines, with vessels poorly maintained and overcrowded due to lax oversight.
菲律宾海岸警卫队说，星期四一艘载有251人的轮渡，在一个边远岛屿沿海水域倾覆。
海岸警卫队发言人说，救援船和直升机已被派往波利略岛附近的地区，那里距首都马尼拉东北约70公里。渡轮沉没前从奎松省的里尔镇前往波利略途中遭遇剧烈风暴。
这位海岸警卫队发言人表示，有报道说，倾覆的船只造成伤亡，但是有关报道没有得到证实。
海上事故在菲律宾司空见惯，由于监管松懈，船只维护很差而且过于拥挤。