Manila, Aug 4 (IANS): At least 25 people were killed and six others reported missing after three boats capsized due to bad weather in the Philippines, police said on Sunday.

Police Brigadier General Rene Pamuspusan that as of Sunday afternoon, 25 bodies have been recovered after the accidents took place on Saturday night off the rough seas between the city of Iloilo and Guimaras province amid heavy rains, reports Xinhua news agency.

He added that search is continuing to find the missing people.

The capsized vessels are Chi-chi, with four crew members and 43 passengers aboard, Kezziah, with four crew members, and Jenny Vince, which was carrying 34 passengers and four crew members, reports Efe news.

At least 59 people who were rescued are being attended to by emergency services and the Red Cross.

Dozens of people die in the Philippines each year in accidents at sea caused mostly by bad weather, failure to comply with safety regulations, poor vessel maintenance and overloading.

The worst accident in modern commercial navigation happened in the Philippines in 1987 when the Dona Paz ferry capsized in the waters of Leyte after colliding with an oil tanker, killing 4,341 people.