Reports Philippines ferry captain alive, hiding

Updated July 1, 2008 23:19:04

The tip of the upturned hull of the sunken ferry protrudes from waters off Sibuyan island. [AFP]

The Philippines vice president says authorities are investigating reports that the captain of a ferry which sunk in a typhoon with the loss of nearly 800 lives is hiding to avoid accountability.

As Radio Australia's Shirley Escalante reports from Manila, Vice President Noli de Castro says he is reviewing reports that the captain, who is among those reported missing, is still alive, and cites information indicating the ship's owner could be hiding him and at least one survivor.

"I tend to believe that this is a possibility," Mr de Castro told a Philippines radio station.

"Past incidents have shown the captain would go missing shortly after an accident, we'll look into it."

Just over 80 of the more than 800 people on board the vessel survived the accident.

Meanwhile, Philippines President Gloria Arroyo has conducted an aerial inspection of the capsized ship, caught in the onslaught of typhoon Fengshen more than a week ago.

She has ordered the Philippine Coast Guard to complete its investigation of the MV Princess of the Stars in fifteen days.

During a visit to the central region which was badly hit by Typhoon Fengshen, the president said she wanted a full accounting by the coast guard of the circumstances that led to the accident.

Search and retrieval operations have been suspended to give way for the removal from the vessel of ten metric tons of toxic pesticides.