Twelve people died when a mini-tornado caused an overloaded boat to capsize in remote southern Philippine marshes, a local official said on Wednesday.
The small motorboat, designed for 10 passengers, was carrying 18 people from a small town through marshland on Mindanao island on Monday night when the accident happened, said the local mayor, Alan Aguas.
“The winds were strong and there was a small tornado. It passed near the boat and some of the passengers panicked, causing the boat to capsize,” he said, quoting survivors.
Among the dead were children aged 3, 7 and 9, Aguas said, adding that some of the bodies were only recovered on Wednesday.
He described the mini-tornado as a “freak” event, although he said there were persistent strong winds and rain at the time. The darkness may have also contributed to the high death toll.
