Philippine Ferry Passengers Believed Dead

The people of the Philippines, an archipelago of more than 7,000 islands, are no strangers to severe weather—the islands are hit by some 20 typhoons each year—but this weekend's deadly storm, which caused a ferry carrying over 800 passengers to capsize about a mile off the shore of Sibuyan Island, has hit the country especially hard. Only a few dozen survivors of the wreck have been found by rescuers, and most of the ship's missing passengers are feared trapped inside the sunken vessel. Grieving family members are now asking why the ship was allowed to set sail in the stormy weather in the first place.