The ferry was carrying 751 passengers and 111 crew when it went down in heavy seas in the central Philippines on Saturday, Sulpicio Lines vice president Sally Buaron said.

But checks were underway to determine if even more passengers, not included in the official manifest, were also on board, Buaron said.

Eighty one children were among the passengers officially listed, she said.

The vessel, which is licenced to carry 1,992 people, was battered by huge waves whipped up by Typhoon Fengshen which lashed the Philippines on Saturday.

It listed before finally tipping over and sinking off the coast of Sibuyan island. The typhoon has left 598 dead or missing elsewhere in the Philippines.

Rescuers said that 32 people have been rescued so far from the ill-fated ferry, one of them a crew member, Buaron said.

She said the ferry captain, Florenio Marino, had sent a distress call moments before he gave the order to abandon ship.

"We are at a loss as to what really happened," Buaron said, insisting that the ship, weighing 23,800 tons, was sea worthy and had never been in an accident in its 24-year history.

"I have been asking everybody (rescuers) if they were able to find the (ship) master."

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