last updated: Wednesday 9 September 2009, 05:52am

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Ferry disaster averted in the Philippines

Almost 1,000 people have been rescued from a sinking ferry in the Philippines.

Nine people died and one is still missing after the Superferry 9 went down yesterday off Zamboanga del Norte province in the south of the country.

Panic broke out among the passengers on the 7,269-ton vessel, when it suddenly tilted to the right then began to sink in the dark.

Disaster was averted as two cargo and container ships arrived at the scene less than an hour after receiving a coast guard emergency call for assistance.

Around two hours later, two navy assault boats and two helicopters arrived to help wth the rescue effort, eventually saving 958 passengers and crew.

An investigation will begin later this week to find out why the boat, which was built in Japan in 1986, sank.

Last year a ferry overturned in the central Philippines, killing more than 800 people, while more than 4,000 passengers perished in the world's worst peacetime maritime disaster, when the Dona Paz collided with a tanker off the country in December 1987.

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