700 missing after ferry capsizes

[Zeus]

According to news, all Sulpicio ships are grounded...

Sulpicio Lines’ vessels grounded; task force formed


By Lira Dalangin-Fernandez
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 07:46:00 06/23/2008


MANILA, Philippines—The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) has grounded all vessels of Sulpicio Lines two days after one of its vessels, MV Princess of the Stars that was carrying 862 passengers, sank in the waters off Sibuyan island in Romblon province at the height of typhoon “Frank” (international codename: Fengshen).
At the same time, during the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) meeting early dawn Monday in Malacañang, Vice President Noli de Castro ordered the formation of a task force to investigate the ferry's sinking.
DOTC Secretary Leandro Mendoza said the task force would look into the cause of the sinking and determine liability. It would also coordinate search and rescue efforts for some 800 passengers and crew who remain missing. Initial reports put the death toll from the incident at 10. But this has yet to be confirmed.
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo convened the NDCC meeting at around 2:30 a.m. Monday to get an update on the search and rescue mission for victims of the ferry sinking, and relief efforts for victims of the typhoon.
Mendoza reported to the President that he has ordered the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to look into the sea-worthiness of all passenger and cargo vessels.
He said he has directed the Board of Marine Inquiry to lead the investigation to determine the cause of the ferry’s sinking and whether there was violation of any Coast Guard rules when it allowed the ferry to sail on the path of the typhoon.
"The Board of Marie Inquiry is composed not only of the Coast Guard and MARINA (Maritime Industry Authority) but experts from the industry. They will determine what was the cause of the accident and, at the same time, of course recommend measures of prevention. Maraming sisilipin dito, kasi meron ding report na nagkaroon ng engine trouble, nag-conk out daw yung engine so we will determine if it's internal, or if it's caused by elements of the typhoon like waves," Mendoza said in an interview after the meeting.
"It could also be the liability of MARINA because if the vessel was not sea-worthy, it should not have sailed. It could also be the owner because they should ensure that their vessels are sea-worthy, so we'll know the accountability of each party," he added.
Authorities will also look for possible traces of oil spill as the ferry was carrying some 200 liters of oil when it sank.

[Flagg]

...He said the lashing that tucked the cargo was torn, which probably affected the balance of the ship while it was being smashed by strong winds and big waves...
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakin...-the-boat-sank

Ships of this size are built to weather storms like Frank. Ito yung cause, nag-shift yung cargo. In other words, human negligence. Kulang ang pagka-tie-down ng cargo. Tsk tsk.

[Innova_Boy]

never seen this boat in actual, but I've seen superferry boats, are they just similar in size?

RIP to those who might perish in this horrible incident...


WBR,

[Innova_Boy]

never seen this boat in actual, but I've seen superferry boats, are they just similar in size?

RIP to those who might perish in this horrible incident...


WBR,

[Monseratto]

never seen this boat in actual, but I've seen superferry boats, are they just similar in size?

RIP to those who might perish in this horrible incident...


WBR,

It WAS the biggest interisland vessel in the country. Flagship of Sulpicio Lines Inc.

The 23, 824 gt, 192.92 m Princess of the Stars was built by the Aichi Works of Japan's IHI and delivered in 1984.

Until 2004, when it was transferred to the Philippines flag, the vessel served as the Ferry Lilac with Japan's Shin-Nihonkai Ferry.

The ship is classed with BV as a RO/RO passenger ship with the the navigation notation "Coastal area--trade limited to Philippines national waters."

http://www.marinelog.com/DOCS/NEWSMM...8jun00220.html

[s_quilicot]

Looks familiar?

philippine virsion ..

[theveed]

How many ships have they sunk so far?

[s_quilicot]

How many ships have they sunk so far?

sink? 2 or 3 po ata .. suki na yan sulpicio sa tragedy ..

[glenngj]

ganon ba sa kanila ba yung m/v dona paz at yung m/v princess of the orient?

[CVT]

Ships of this size are built to weather storms like Frank. Ito yung cause, nag-shift yung cargo. In other words, human negligence. Kulang ang pagka-tie-down ng cargo. Tsk tsk.

Other than this, first and foremost, the loss of power in that sea condition is a damning incident....

6303:fetch:

[Monseratto]

How many ships have they sunk so far?

Dona Paz: 4,375 Dead, Dona Manilyn: 300 Dead and Princess of the Orient: 150 Dead.

I could picture Sulpicio Lines new mascot already...

[theveed]

Wow, holocaust-like na sila...

[shadow]

two months from now, makakalimutan nanaman ito...they should start checking all Sulpicio's fleet....

ang bago-bago nitong ship eh nagkaroon ng engine problem...from what I read 3 or 4yr old lang ito...

[Monseratto]

two months from now, makakalimutan nanaman ito...they should start checking all Sulpicio's fleet....

ang bago-bago nitong ship eh nagkaroon ng engine problem...from what I read 3 or 4yr old lang ito...

If I were the tsinoy owners of Sulpicio, I'd change the name of the company. Tsinoys are very sensitive to image and Sulpicio's image is not exactly to die for.

The ship was built in 1984, it was acquired in 2004 as used/surplus for US$ 5 million. Not exactly new...

[Monseratto]

Only bodies under toppled ferry in Philippines
By PAUL ALEXANDER, Associated Press Writer

MANILA, Philippines - Divers wriggled into an upside-down ferry Tuesday and found bodies but no survivors three days after the vessel capsized during a powerful typhoon with more than 800 people aboard, officials said.

The bodies included what appeared to be one of the ship's officers still clutching a radio, coast guard Commodore Luis Tuason said, adding that two bodies had been retrieved.

Hundreds of people are feared to have been trapped when the ship suddenly tilted and went belly up Saturday at the height of the powerful storm that left 163 people dead in flooded communities in the central Philippines.

Philippines Navy spokesman Lt. Col. Edgard Arevalo would not speculate on whether anyone might be found alive but indicated the amount of time passed made it unlikely. He said the ship's interior was too dark to determine how many bodies were there and lighting was being brought in.

"Most of the bodies were floating inside. They were trapped when the seven-story ship suddenly tilted and capsized," he told dzBB radio.

Arevalo said it was possible some passengers could have survived initially, but the roiling seas from Typhoon Fengshen had kept rescuers at bay too long and suffocation may have claimed some lives.

He said some of the bodies had life vests but many passengers apparently hesitated to jump into the "turbulent waters" before the ship capsized because "it happened too sudden." Survivors said the ship listed and went down in a half-hour or less.

"If there are survivors, they could only be found in the forward portion, because if the vessel is no longer watertight, water would enter all its spaces that are submerged," Arevalo said.

Coast guard chief Adm. Wilfredo Tamayo said about 20 coast guard and navy divers were at the scene and that the U.S. Navy ship Stockham had arrived with frogmen and search-and-rescue helicopters.

He said the divers had broken windows and used every other gap they could find to slip inside the 23,824-ton Princess of Stars, which has only one end jutting from the water off Sibuyan island.

Arevalo said the priority now is how to extricate the bodies. He said options include attaching weights to them and then pulling them out, or cutting the hull — a prospect complicated by a cargo of bunker oil that could leak and turn the human disaster into an environmental one.

On Sunday, divers heard no response when they hammered on the hull, but officials had refused to give up.

Only about three dozen ferry survivors have been found, including 28 who drifted at sea for more than 24 hours, first in a life raft, then in life jackets, before they were found Sunday about 80 miles to the north in eastern Quezon province.

Officials initially reported 747 passengers and crew were aboard the ferry, but said Monday that it was carrying about 100 more.

Six bodies, including those of a man and woman who had bound themselves together, have washed ashore, along with children's slippers and life jackets.

While some relatives tearfully waited for news, others angrily questioned why the ship was allowed to leave Manila late Friday for a 20-hour trip to Cebu with a typhoon approaching.

Sulpicio Lines said it sailed with coast guard approval. The government ordered the company to suspend services pending an investigation and a check of its other ships' seaworthiness.

Debate also began anew on safe-sailing rules in a country prone to storms — Fengshen was the seventh typhoon this year — and dependent on ferries to get around the sprawling archipelago.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080624/...ppines_typhoon

[hein]

Dona Paz: 4,375 Dead, Dona Manilyn: 300 Dead and Princess of the Orient: 150 Dead.

Titanic: 1,517 Dead.

Tinalo pa natin yung sikat....

[welscua]

Other than this, first and foremost, the loss of power in that sea condition is a damning incident....

6303:fetch:

Korek ka dyan, kung di nagka-aberya yung engine kaya nyang makarating sa Cebu. Another thing, it's also out of greed kasi may mga nag-book palang passengers na galing sa ibang vessel dahil na-cancel yung trip bec of the storm Frank.

Pustahan, marami na namang pulitiko ang makikisakay sa tragedy na ito and like what happened in the past, after so many investigations ay wala ring legislation na mangyayari to protect the passengers kasi normally yang mga lokomakers natin by plane kung mag-travel mga yan.



SHARING IS CARING.....