17 dead as Philippines ferry carrying 700 sinks

A ferry with nearly 700 people aboard has sunk near the central Philippine port of Cebu after colliding with a cargo vessel, killing at least 17 people. Hundreds of others were rescued.

The captain of the ferry MV Thomas Aquinas ordered the ship to be abandoned after it began listing and then sank after hitting the cargo vessel, coastguard officer Joy Villegas said.