The_Munchmaster Posted June 22, 2008 Report Share Posted June 22, 2008 Fears are growing for more than 700 people on a ferry which officials say has capsized in the central Philippines in the wake of a typhoon. Rescuers are scouring the area but their efforts are being hampered by heavy seas and gale force winds. Officials on Sibuyan island say four bodies have been recovered. There are unconfirmed reports of three survivors. Typhoon Fengshen has caused flash floods and landslides, killing at least 69 people elsewhere in the Philippines. The Philippine President, Gloria Arroyo, has demanded an explanation as to why the ferry was allowed to leave port on Friday despite warnings that a typhoon was about to hit. "Why did you allow it to sail and why was there no ample warning? I want answers," she told civil defence and coast guard authorities during a briefing on the accident. The 23,824-tonne ferry, the Princess of the Stars, has a passenger capacity of 1,992. There is some confusion over the number of people on board. The BBC's Michael Barker, in the Philippines, says that according to officials the ferry was carrying 626 passengers and 121 crew. However, local reports put the figure on board as high as 820. The vessel was en route to Cebu from Manila, and according to its owners, Sulpicio Lines, contact was lost at about 1230 (0430 GMT) on Saturday, Reuters reported. Coastguard officials said the ferry's engine failed on Saturday afternoon and that the vessel then ran aground several kilometres off Sibuyan, in Romblon province. The mayor of San Fernando, a coastal town in Sibuyan, said that four bodies were washed ashore on Sunday, including a man and a woman that had been tied together. Mayor Nanette Tansingco also told local radio that three survivors had been located. She said the upturned ferry could be seen from shore with its bow jutting out of the water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torneyboy Posted June 22, 2008 Report Share Posted June 22, 2008 "Why did you allow it to sail and why was there no ample warning? I want answers," she told civil defence and coast guard authorities during a briefing on the accident. The 23,824-tonne ferry, the Princess of the Stars, has a passenger capacity of 1,992. Tragic ...hope she gets the answers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julian2 Posted June 22, 2008 Report Share Posted June 22, 2008 Then you can hope in one hand and shit in the other. See which fills up first. The inter-island ferries have to be experienced to be believed. I took one from Negros to Mindanao once and a storm blew up. Torrential rain, high winds, the whole works, and this wasn't a typhoon. They cleared the upper two decks to make the ship less top heavy and fortunately the bar was on the third one down so I just sat there and drank all night. Ferry disasters are a Philippine specialty. One caught on fire in Manila Bay while I was there with heavy loss of life which they managed to blame on Abu Sayyaf, no doubt attracting a little anti terrorism money from the US in the process. It's an ill wind... as I've said before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faustian Posted June 22, 2008 Report Share Posted June 22, 2008 The typhoon has been blowing around those parts for 3-4 days, so it was hardly a surprise... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torneyboy Posted June 22, 2008 Report Share Posted June 22, 2008 Was to the crew ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CTO Posted June 22, 2008 Report Share Posted June 22, 2008 Not a small ship either by looks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julian2 Posted June 22, 2008 Report Share Posted June 22, 2008 http://www.sulpiciolines.com/vessels.php?p=str Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torneyboy Posted June 22, 2008 Report Share Posted June 22, 2008 24000 tonne... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CTO Posted June 22, 2008 Report Share Posted June 22, 2008 That's a pretty big boat - Cavanami knows more about boats than me but seems a rather large ship to go issing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Munchmaster Posted June 22, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2008 The last line of my OP would suggest that it's not missing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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