PCG: Recovered bodies from ‘Princess’ now at 36

MANILA, Philippines - The number of bodies recovered from the capsized MV Princess of the Stars rose to 36 after divers retrieved the remains of three more victims as retrieval operations continued on its third day.

A radio dzBB report quoted Coast Guard commandant Vice Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo as saying that as of Tuesday afternoon, the number of bodies recovered on Tuesday alone rose to 16, raising the total number of bodies retrieved from the capsized ship to 36.

Divers from salvage group Harbor Star and counterparts from the Coast Guard had been searching the ship since Sunday for remains of more than 500 passengers trapped inside.

Tamayo said he has instructed the divers to search all accommodation spaces, including other decks of the ship, for remains.

"Ginagawa natin ang lahat na paraan (We are doing all we can)," Tamayo said in an interview on dzBB radio.

He also said the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has a team on standby to identify bodies that will be retrieved from the capsized vessel.

The Sulpicio Lines-owned MV Princess of the Stars capsized off Romblon last June 21 at the height of typhoon "Frank."