(VOVworld) - At least 70 people are missing after a ferry sank in the waters off the central Philippines in bad weather on Saturday night, the government's civil defence office said.

Rescue team is searching for the missing people (Photo: Reuters)

The Maharlika II ferry, carrying at least 84 people went down off the central island of Leyte with only 14 people rescued so far by other boats, said Mina Marasigan, spokeswoman of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. She said rescue boats had trouble reaching them because the waves were really huge. The coast guard and private vessels are still in the area with the hope that more people will be rescued in the coming hours.