A cargo vessel is docked at sea after colliding with and sinking a ferry on Friday, August 16, in Talisay, in the Cebu province of the Philippines. Initial reports said that authorities were searching for over 200 unaccounted for people after the collision. The ferry is thought to have been carrying about 700 passengers. 
A survivor on a stretcher is brought in to a hospital in Cebu City after the collision. 
A medic carries 3-month-old Trisia Mae Kumaro as her mother steps out of an ambulance at the hospital. 
The ferry, MV St. Thomas Aquina, was coming from Butuan City when it collided with the cargo ship in the Mactan Channel about 2 miles northwest of Cebu City, the capital of Cebu province. 
A young survivor is helped into the hospital. 
An ambulance carrying more survivors arrives at the hospital. 
A survivor in a wheelchair is assisted as he arrives at the hospital. - NEW: Number of rescued rises to 629, Coast Guard official says
- NEW: Rescue crews continue searching for survivors
- 217 passengers aboard the ferry are still unaccounted for
- Their ferry hit a cargo ship off Cebu City in the southern Philippines
(CNN) -- Rescue crews have found 24 bodies, and are looking for 217 other people, after the ferry they were on collided Friday with a cargo ship in waters between southern Philippine islands, a Coast Guard official said.
Lt. Elgen Gregorio, from the Philippine Coast Guard, told CNN on Saturday morning that 629 people had been rescued.
At that time, authorities were still looking intently for survivors.
The incident occurred around 9 p.m. Friday in the Mactan Channel about 2 miles northwest of Cebu City, the capital of Cebu province.
'Horrifying' ferry crash in Hong Kong 
Cruise ship, tanker collide near Vietnam The passenger ship -- MV St. Thomas Aquinas -- was coming from nearby Butuan City and the cargo ship -- the Sulpicio, which had about 20 people aboard -- was leaving Cebu for the province of Davao in Mindanao.
The passenger ferry sank, but not before sending out a distress call heard by Coast Guard officials.
The cargo vessel involved in the crash -- along with Navy, Coast Guard and commercial vessels -- was helping in the rescue efforts.
At least 44 people were being treated at one hospital in Cebu.
The incident recalls one of the worst maritime disasters in world history dating to December 20, 1987, also off the Philippines.
Between 1,700 and more than 4,000 people were killed when the ferry Dona Paz collided with the tanker MT Victor. The number of casualties has varied; many claim the Dona Paz was extremely overcrowded.
CNN's Greg Botelho contributed to this report.
