Zamboanga City (Philippines), Sep 6 (DPA) A passenger ferry with about 964 people aboard tilted Sunday in the high seas off southern Philippines, prompting the captain to order passengers and crew to abandon ship, officials said.

The ship was carrying 847 passengers and 117 crew. It left the southern city of General Santos Saturday and was on its way to the central city of Iloilo.

The Superferry 9 issued a distress signal as it listed to the right off Zamboanga Peninsula, about 870 km south of Manila, before dawn Sunday.

Jess Supan, Superferry vice president for safety and security, said the shipping firm and the coast guard have dispatched ships to help the distressed vessel and rescue the people on board.

'So far all people are reportedly safe,' he told a Manila radio station. 'The crew are doing all they can to correct the listing.