Hours after authorities announced that all 187 passengers and crew members aboard a ferry that capsized in the Philippines had been accounted for, rescuers recovered five more bodies, the Associated Press reports. This brings the death toll to 50.

The M/B Kim Nirvana, a 36-ton wooden vessel, flipped in rough waters off Ormoc City on Thursday. According to the AP, the bodies were discovered on Friday as a floating crane pulled ferry to shore, Commander Armand Balilo said.

Balilo said that the unexpected bodies raised questions about the number of people who had actually been on board when the ferry capsized. CNN reports that, according to Philippine Coast Guard Lt. Christopher Ganet, the ferry, when it flipped, was barely 200 meters from shore.

The captain and some of the crew are reportedly in custody, pending an investigation. “Among the things we will look into is if there was a faulty maneuver, the stability of the vessel, and of course the weather,” Balilo said.


Photo credit: AP Images. Contact the author of this post: brendan.oconnor@gawker.com.