Capsized vessel death toll rises to 9

(UPDATE) NINE people were killed and two others were still missing following the sinking last week of the dredging ship Hong Hai 16 in Occidental Mindoro.The local government of Rizal town in Occidental Mindoro confirmed the number of fatalities on Sunday.Jack Motril, public information officer of Rizal, told The Manila Times that a body was recovered at 9:11 a.m. Sunday in the vessel's accommodation area. The identity of the victim has not been disclosed.The bodies of the victims were still in a morgue in Rizal.Gary Valera, spokesman of the dredging company Bluemax Tradelink Inc., said it will comply with the cease and desist order that will be issued by the provincial government of Occidental Mindoro.Valera said the company has all the necessary permits for the dredging operation, which is one of the ways to ease flooding in the area.He said the area had been dredged by different vessels three to four times before the Hong Hai 16 arrived.