Manila: At least 26 people were killed, while 40 others were saved, when a small Philippine ferry capsized when passengers suddenly crowded to one side in fear as strong winds battered the wooden vessel, officials said on Friday.

Search and rescue operations have picked back up, according to the Coast Guard and police on Thursday night. The number of passengers on board the M/B Princess Aya, which sank on Thursday in Laguna de Bay in the province of Rizal east of Manila, is still unknown, according to officials.

According to police and the coast guard, shortly after leaving a wharf in the town of Binangonan for the nearby Talim island, the boat tilted, its outrigger broke, and the boat capsized as people rushed to one side of the vessel amid strong winds.

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According to officials, the accident happened only 46 metres (150 feet) from the shore.

The coast guard and other local authorities assisted in the immediate launch of a rescue operation, according to the Rizal provincial police, but at least 26 people drowned. 40 more people were saved.

Rear Admiral Hostillo Arturo Cornelio of the Coast Guard told reporters that this was a truly tragic incident that needed to be looked into.

The ferry was overloaded despite having a maximum capacity of 42 passengers and crew members, according to Cornelio. He added that the reports that the passengers were not donning life jackets as required by safety regulations would also be investigated.

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When questioned about the size of the boat, Cornelio replied that it was unclear whether there were more passengers than the 66 who perished or were saved. We believe there might be more, he added.

Rescuers pulling a body out of the lake were seen in a coast guard video that was made public. In another video, local fishermen on boats could be seen approaching the capsized boat.

After battering the northern Philippines and inciting seasonal monsoon rains in a significant portion of the archipelago, Typhoon Doksuri dissipated on Thursday.

More than 30 people have died as a result of a week of stormy weather on the main island of Luzon, thanks to the sinking on Thursday. According to disaster response officials, thousands of people were displaced as a result of Doksuri's onslaught and at least nine deaths were reported, most of which were caused by landslides, flooding, and downed trees.

During Doksuri's assault from Tuesday to Wednesday, sea travel was halted in many ports, leaving tens of thousands of passengers and cargo trucks stranded. As the weather improved in many areas on Thursday, the no-sail orders were gradually lifted.

The boat that capsized had departed after a no-sail order was lifted for Binangonan town, according to Coast Guard Rear Adm. Armand Balilo.

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On Thursday, at least four northern provinces were still on cyclone wind alert, making it illegal for fishing boats and other small boats to go out to sea. Rains persisted in inundating a number of cities and towns further south, including the heavily populated area around Manila, which is located to the west of Rizal province.

Because of frequent storms, poorly maintained boats, overcrowding, and lax enforcement of safety regulations, maritime accidents are common in the Philippine archipelago. The world's worst maritime disaster to occur during a time of peace occurred in December 1987 when the ferry Dona Paz sank after colliding with a fuel tanker. More than 4,300 people perished.