Boat with 70 people capsizes off Philippines coast

Manila: A boat with about 70 people on board capsized off Quezon province in the Philippines, local media reported on Thursday.

The Philippine Coast Guard confirmed the accident without providing further details, adding a search and rescue operation is ongoing, reports Xinhua news agency.

Ferry accidents are common in the archipelago country mainly due to frequent storms, ill-maintained boats, overcrowding and weak enforcement of safety regulations.

Last week, a passenger boat with a maximum capacity of 42 but carrying nearly 70 people, capsized in Laguna de Bay off Rizal province, east of Manila, resulting in 27 deaths.