Philippine coast guard launches investigation after 26 killed in boat mishap

The Philippine Coast Guard said Friday it would investigate why a passenger ship that capsized in a lake near the capital, killing at least 26 people, may have been overloaded.

Authorities rescued 40 people Thursday after the vessel sank in strong winds, meaning it was carrying far more passengers than it was designed to carry, the Coast Guard said.

"We have already called for an investigation, including our personnel," Coast Guard spokesman Armand Balilo said in a statement, adding that complaints would be filed against the ship's captain and operator.

The vessel was designed to carry around 40 passengers, but it is unclear how many people could have boarded. The manifest contained only 22 names, the Coast Guard said. Search and rescue and rescue operations are underway, Balilo said.

It is the second deadliest in the Southeast Asian country this year, after 33 people died in a ferry fire in the southern Philippines in March.

The country was hit this week by Typhoon Doksuri, which brought winds of up to 175 km per hour (108 mph) to its northern and most populous island of Luzon, home to the capital Manila. The country has a mixed record on maritime safety, with vessels sometimes sailing overcrowded and many aging ships still in use.