Passenger Ferry Collides With Cargo Ship Leaving 17 Dead

[bootleultras]

17 dead after ships in Philippines collide
http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/16/world/asia/philippines-ships-collision/index.html

 

(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.

 

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.

[robert k]

Note to self, must teach my girl to swim.

[Jollygoodfellow]

It says in another story they hit head on, how does two big ships run into each other head on? The death toll will climb unfortunately.   :unsure:

[Papa Carl]

Note to self, must teach my girl to swim.

 

I know what you mean, I was amazed that most of the Filipinos that I met did not know how to swim! So my little girl,.... ha she loves the water as you will see when I post my pictures soon. She doesn't actually swim yet but she is getting there and she has no fear of the water which is the biggest cause of drowning, because so many people panick and take each other down. Ellie, my wife can now swim, but only under the water! Ha she still has not gotten used to taking a breath while swimming on the surface? Weird but at least she also is no longer afraid of the water!

 

I agree, there is likely to be more deaths from this collision. I do think of this every time we take a ferry from one island to the other.

 

Over crowding is common here in the Philippines, I even got off a boat once going from Batangas to Puerto Gallera because of over crowding.

 

 

Papa Carl

[Jake]

It says in another story they hit head on, how does two big ships run into each other head on? The death toll will climb unfortunately.   :unsure:

Good question Boss.  The same question can be applied about two fast moving trains colliding on the same track.  

Most of these accidents are caused by human error.  Even the mighty US Navy have their moments of -- ohh, chit.

 

There must be some maritime international law that states the bridge watch must be fully manned while transiting

narrow and busy corridors of the sea.  That area of Mactan Channel is only a mile wide and full of traffic (I wonder

if the Filipino captains turn off their headlights to save battery...he, he).  At least the captain and first officer

should be on the bridge looking through their binoculars, along with the other members of the bridge watch.  

 

My very first passage through the Straits of Malacca (gateway to Indian Ocean), I was sweatin' bullets as the ship's

conning officer.  I was instructed not to rely on radar navigation but just using my eye balls glued to the binoculars.

Often times I barked orders to the helmsman to change course because I see the port and starboard running lights

of another ship -- meaning they're heading straight for you.  The approach into Hong Kong harbor at night is also

pretty hairy.

 

I suspect complacency of both ships failing to take action well before the imminent collision.  How do you stop a big

ass ship dead on their tracks?  Use another ship, unfortunately.  By the way, it takes nearly a mile for a Nimitz class

carrier to stop while doing only 20 knots.  

 

I sincerely hope that all the victim's family are well taken care of by the government and both shipping companies.

And lessons learned so that future maritime accidents can be prevented.  Yeah.....right. 

 

Forty knots and no smoke -- Jake

Edited August 21, 2013 by Jake
spill chek

[Jake]

 

The comments below is from Daniel Solomon, an aspiring Filipino mariner and reflects an open secret about the current state of affairs for many decades:

 

The government should stop immediately all these inter-island water transport system comprising of ships of all capacities and cargo vessels!!  The government should restore order first in this area by doing the following:

 

1. Immediate validation of all licenses of maritime personnel whose jobs require civil service eligibility?  All license cards should be examined.  I have a feeling most of the licenses especially the ship's captains are fake.  Nabili lang sa RECTO UNIVERSITY! (licenses bought at Recto University, Manila).

 

2. If found to be possessing fake licenses, those fakes who are not qualified should be immediately be removed from the ship and put to jail.  The source of fake licenses should also be traced and shutdown immediately and arrested.

 

3. Give incentives to young and qualified marine engineers who can form a pool of future ship captains.

 

Same goes for all public land transportation drivers.  When was the last time they took a piss test?  

 

Edited August 17, 2013 by Jake

[dalidali]

The FIRST thing I do when I go aboard one of those ferry boats is to find the life preservers and make sure I have an unobtructed path to get to them.

 

I took one of the 2GO fast ferries from Cebu to Bohol.

Unknowing to me at the time was that with the inside seating, you are LOCKED inside with heavy metal doors and large hatch handles.

I felt like I was in a sardine can.......no escape......no air.....no breeze and only a bulkhead to look at.

Never again!!

 

It's now outside open air for me.....at least I can leap over the side in case of imminent danger of going down.......life jacket securely fastened of course and my honey in hand.

 

In this Mactan channel incident, I sure hope the PH authorites do a "hard nosed" investigation and severly punish those found negligent.

[Jollygoodfellow]

I know nothing about shipping or much about anything actually so don't laugh at my question. Is there such a thing as rules for incoming and outgoing vessels? Like the position the vessels are meant to pass each other and is there something like air traffic control except for sea vessels? Surely there must be some radio contact with the port or someone to guide ships in and out.

[Old55]

There are no rules other than the golden rule. Those with the gold rule Philippines and if some worn out old Chinese or whatever ships sink collide or whatever its Gods will.

[lyno 47]

I may be wrong but I believe on coming vessels are supposed to pass on the port side in other words keep to the left and allow for drift and wave  movement  500 feet apart.Power craft are to give way to sail craft.Only my understanding but many a navy man on the forum will know much more than me :bash: