Philippines MV Thomas Aquinas collided with a cargo ship on Friday night claiming over 30 lives with close to 170 reported to be missing. More than 600 survivors survivors have been rescued in an operation carried out by coastguard and military vessels but is reported to have  experienced setbacks caused by bad weather in the waters.

Those who are reported to have been on board MV Thomas Aquinas are  715 passengers and 116 crew according to figures released by  coast guard officials. The strong impact-collision occurred 1.2 miles away from the shore and near the central city of Cebu.

Several passengers are reported to have dived into the ocean immediately the collision happened with life-jackets being thrown to them. The number of deaths is expected to rise  in the coming days with more babies  being found dead  in the disastrous collision. Many of the those who jumped into the water suffered  sickness related to sea-water gulps .

According to one of the coast guard officials at the site of the accident , the cargo ship  which collide with MV  Thomas Aquinas had a crew of 36 members. The cargo ship  Sulpicio Express 7  did not not however sink in the ocean accident.

Many lives are lost in Philippines in ferry accidents yearly according to marine deaths statics due to poor marine laws. The cause of the Friday night accident is yet to be established.