Seven fishermen missing

Rescuers are searching for seven people missing after a collision between a fishing boat and a cargo ship, authorities said.

The Philippine fishing vessel and Marshall Islands-flagged MV Happy Hiro collided on Saturday east of Palawan Island, the Philippine Coast Guard said.

The fishing boat capsized and sank in the Sulu sea, coast guard spokesman Commodore Armando Balilo said yesterday.

Thirteen of its 20 crew members were plucked from the water by another fishing boat before being transferred to the Happy Hiro. They suffered minor injuries.

The coast guard deployed rescue teams from nearby stations to scour the waters for the seven missing crew members. — AFP