A team of three experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) and two local officials will go near the capsized Philippine ferry, MV Princess of the Stars, on Tuesday to inspect waters there for contamination, said the Philippine Coast Guard on Sunday.
The Philippine Coast Guard commandant Vice Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo said on local TV network GMA News that the inspection team will be flown to Romblon, a central province island where the ferry capsized last month after being caught in the eye of a strong typhoon.
Romblon residents are worried that endosulfan, a toxic pesticide aboard the capsized vessel, as well as 10,000 liters of bunker fuel in the vessel, might have contaminated the waters around the Sibuyan island of Romblon, where the capsized ferry is located.
Three teams of Coast Guard divers are stationed at nearby Sibuyan island to watch out for intruders who may venture near the ferry, where hundreds of bodies are believed to be inside.
"The bodies of the victims are sacred and we don't want any people messing around in the vicinity. There are also valuable items," Tamayo told GMA News.
The three-member team, including a marine chemist, an eco-toxicologist and a civil protection expert from the WHO, arrived here last Friday after being sent by the UN and the European Union at the request of Philippine authorities.
Meanwhile, seven more bodies believed to be from the capsized ferry were found over the weekend in different sites neighboring Romblon, according to a local radio report.
The ferry with more than 800 onboard capsized on June 21 after being caught in the eye of typhoon "Fengshen", locally called "Frank", which rampaged through central Philippines.
Only 57 people are known to have survived the disaster while more than 100 bodies have been found.
Source:Xinhua
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