MANILA, Dec 31, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - A cement-laden cargo ship sank in choppy waters in the central Philippines, leaving one crew member dead and another missing, the coast guard said Tuesday.

The Philippine-flagged Jerlyn Kathness was taken down by big waves in the San Bernardino Strait off the island of Samar on Monday, coast guard station commander Bryhl Amay told AFP.

Passing vessels plucked 12 of the cargo ship's 15 crew members out of the stormy sea, while another managed to swim ashore to the tiny island of San Juan before dawn Tuesday.

Fishermen retrieved the body of one crew member off nearby Biri island, Amay told AFP.

A search was underway Tuesday for the crew member still missing.

According to Amay, the vessel had been ferrying cement from the central island of Cebu to Samar.

Tracking website vesselfinder.com described it as a 199-tonne general cargo ship built in 1993.