Ghost stories emerge from 'Princess' tragedy

MANILA, Philippines - Ghost stories have begun to emerge as retrieval efforts for bodies and a container van of endosulfan from the capsized MV Princes of the Stars off Romblon nears three weeks. DZBB's Carlo Mateo reported that one of the more recent tales ranged from seamen having trouble raising a ship's anchor to sightings of a "gold" ship. A Coast Guard diver recounted that in one instance they had trouble lifting the anchor of one of their rescue ships. The diver said the equipment used to pull up the anchor seemed to get stuck in large rock on seabed. But when they dived 95 feet under the water to see what was wrong, they said there was no obstruction to the anchor and they lifted it with ease. "Medyo may nag-aalaga sa lumubog na barko (It was as if someone was guarding the remains of the capsized vessel)," the diver recalled what local residents in Sibuyan Island told him. San Francisco town vice mayor Nanette Tansingco said there had been tales of sightings of a "gold" ship passing by. The Princess of the Stars capsized off Sibuyan Island in Romblon last June 21, amid big waves and strong winds brought by typhoon "Frank." Hundreds of passengers from the ill-fated vessel remain missing, even as authorities imposed a fishing ban near the area after finding that 10 tons of endosulfan were aboard the vessel. Endosulfan is a toxic substance used as pesticide. - GMANews.TV