MANILA - THE death toll after a ferry capsized in the northern Philippines rose to 30 with 23 still missing three days after the tragedy, the coast guard said on Wednesday.

The number of survivors remained at 45 although coast guard officials were quoted on television as saying they still hoped more survivors could be found.

The inter-island ferry 'Maejan' was carrying about 100 passengers when it capsized due to large waves off the northern coast of Luzon late on Sunday. The coast guard said it was only licensed to carry 40 passengers and 10 crewmen and was apparently overloaded.

Coastguard chief Vice Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo has previously said the list of those aboard could be used as evidence the boat captain and the owner were overloading.

The ferry had set off from Calayan island for Aparri town in northern Luzon when it was hit by strong waves and capsized.

It was the latest in a string of maritime accidents to hit the archipelago, where many people rely on poorly maintained ferries to travel between islands and overloading is common.

In November, at least 42 people died when a ferry was hit by a freak whirlwind in the central Philippines. One person died in a separate incident late in the month.

In June, the 23,000-tonne Princess of the Stars, carrying 850 passengers and crew, capsized after hitting a reef off the central island of Sibuyan at the height of Typhoon Fengshen.

Only 57 passengers and crew survived in the country's worst maritime disaster for 20 years. -- AFP