One of the 22 South Korean nationals was injured by the ship’s propeller as they fled the cargo vessel Nam Yang 8 on late Thursday, said Chief Superintendent Roberto Damian, a regional police director.
Mr. Damian said the ship was carrying wet magnetite when it capsized off the coast of Claveria town in Cagayan province, 405 kilometres north of Manila.
The accident occurred more than two hours after the ship left the nearby port of Aparri.
“The vessel leaned on its left side because of the unbalanced wet magnetite load,” Mr. Damian said. “The boat capsized 30 minutes later.” The ship’s crew members were able to board a lifeboat and reached a fishing port in the village of Taggat Norte in Claveria town before dawn on Friday, he added.
Mr. Damian said the injured South Korean was taken to a clinic for treatment, while his companions were resting at the house of the village captain.
