Safety certificate of capsized boat off Binangonan suspended

MANILA, Philippines — The Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) has suspended the safety certificate of a vessel that capsized off Binangonan, Rizal and left 26 people dead.

In a statement Friday, the regulatory body said that it decided to suspend the safety permit of MB Aya Express after the “unfortunate sea incident, which raises concerns about the integrity of the ship's hull, integral parts, and other affected machineries/appliances."

According to the Philippine Coast Guard's latest count, at least 26 individuals have died and six have gone missing from the incident, which took place less than 50 meters away from Barangay Kalinawan, Binangonan Rizal.

The capsizing happened Thursday after strong winds hit the vessel, making passengers panic and shift to one side, the PCG reported.

Marina said it will conduct a Marine Safety Investigation of the vessel and check its compliance with safety regulations after the Philippine Coast Guard wraps up its search and rescue operation.

The regulatory body has also issued a show cause order against the shipowner.

In an interview with CNN Philippines, a representative of the PCG said that it will investigate why the vessel was allowed to sail despite being overloaded. 

According to the PCG, the vessel could only carry 40 passengers but at least 66 passengers have been identified during the coast guard's search and retrieval operations. Based on its initial investigation, only 22 people were listed on the passenger manifest.