At least 45 people have been confirmed killed in a ferry capsizal days ago off the northern province of Cagayan, the Philippine Coast Guard said on Thursday.

A total of 45 people were rescued and eight others are still missing after the cargo-passenger vessel, M/B Maejan, sank on Sunday due to big waves and strong current, coast guard spokesman Gary Dale Gimotea said in a statement.

The vessel was en route to Aparri port when it capsized only 50 meters away from the shoreline of Ballesteros town, Cagayan. The wooden-hulled ship was loaded with some 100 passengers along with a cargo of pigs, cows and water buffaloes.

Search and rescue operations are still going on for the missing passengers of ill-fated vessel, said the spokesman.

"Rescue team continued rescue operations scouring the shorelines of Ballesteros and nearby municipalities for any sightings of missing passengers," Gimotea said.

Earlier, he said that the reason for the mishap may be that the ferry carried twice its capacity.

"Under the Marina circulars, there should be a mandatory display of maximum authorized passenger capacity. The captain should've declared that only 40 passengers should be boarded on that vessel, but it seems that he neglected that Marina circular," he was quoted by local television ABS-CBN as saying.

A marine-time board has been formed to investigate the accident.

(Xinhua News Agency December 18, 2008)