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Overloading eyed in Philippine ferry capsize: Official

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Overloading of cargo and passengers might have been to blame for a Philippine ferry disaster which left dozens dead, an official said Saturday, and a government investigation is now underway.

Survivors reported seeing up to 150 sacks of cement in the ship's cargo area before it capsized in relatively calm seas off the central port of Ormoc on Thursday, city councillor Godiardo Ebcas told AFP.

Bloated bodies spilled out of the Kim Nirvana's wooden hull as a crane lifted it from the water and placed it on Ormoc port, he said.

Map locating Ormoc city in the Philippines  where a ferry with nearly 200 people on board capsized o...
Map locating Ormoc city in the Philippines, where a ferry with nearly 200 people on board capsized on Thursday
, AFP

Ebcas said the death toll stood at 56 with 142 survivors. The death count was bigger than the 45 reported by the coast guard, which was based on the ship's passenger list, though the guard counted the same number of survivors.

The coast guard earlier said the 33-tonne ship could carry 194 people including 178 passengers and 16 crew, but according to the casualty count of the city council, the ship was carrying at least 198.

"The ship might not be too overloaded in terms of passengers, but imagine the weight of its cargo," Ebcas said.

Each sack of rice, cement and fertiliser weighs 50 kilos (110 pounds), and 150 sacks would easily add 7,500 to the ship's load, excluding passengers, he said.

Residents watch as the Kim Nirvana ferry is lifted by a crane after it was towed to the pier in Ormo...
Residents watch as the Kim Nirvana ferry is lifted by a crane after it was towed to the pier in Ormoc City, central Philippines on July 3, 2015, a day after it capsized
Lito Bagunas, AFP

Ebcas said survivors saw that the cargo, located on the ship's lowest level, was not fastened to the floor with ropes as it should have been.

"This could have cause the weight of the ship to shift," said Ebcas.

Passengers on the ferry's regular route from Ormoc to the Camotes islands regularly bring supplies from the city to their remote fishing villages.

Search operations with rescue divers were stopped on Friday before the ship was lifted to port's berthing area.

Ebcas confirmed reports some bodies were washed to the shore of a neighbouring municipality.

The coast guard is investigating the latest in a string of deadly sea mishaps. Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya said the ship's crew would be summoned.

Rescuers battle rough seas as they search for survivors from the ill-fated ferry near the pier in Or...
Rescuers battle rough seas as they search for survivors from the ill-fated ferry near the pier in Ormoc City, central Philippines on July 3, 2015
Ignatius Martin, AFP

"If there was negligence, it should be pursued by investigators. Appropriate charges will be filed when necessary," presidential spokeswoman Abigail Valte told reporters Saturday.

Poorly maintained, loosely regulated ferries form the backbone of maritime travel in the Philippines, a sprawling archipelago of 100 million people.

Many sea disasters occur during the typhoon season, which starts in June.

Frequent accidents in recent decades have claimed thousands of lives, including the world's worst peacetime maritime disaster in 1987 when the Dona Paz ferry collided with an oil tanker, leaving more than 4,300 dead.

Overloading of cargo and passengers might have been to blame for a Philippine ferry disaster which left dozens dead, an official said Saturday, and a government investigation is now underway.

Survivors reported seeing up to 150 sacks of cement in the ship’s cargo area before it capsized in relatively calm seas off the central port of Ormoc on Thursday, city councillor Godiardo Ebcas told AFP.

Bloated bodies spilled out of the Kim Nirvana’s wooden hull as a crane lifted it from the water and placed it on Ormoc port, he said.

Map locating Ormoc city in the Philippines  where a ferry with nearly 200 people on board capsized o...

Map locating Ormoc city in the Philippines, where a ferry with nearly 200 people on board capsized on Thursday
, AFP

Ebcas said the death toll stood at 56 with 142 survivors. The death count was bigger than the 45 reported by the coast guard, which was based on the ship’s passenger list, though the guard counted the same number of survivors.

The coast guard earlier said the 33-tonne ship could carry 194 people including 178 passengers and 16 crew, but according to the casualty count of the city council, the ship was carrying at least 198.

“The ship might not be too overloaded in terms of passengers, but imagine the weight of its cargo,” Ebcas said.

Each sack of rice, cement and fertiliser weighs 50 kilos (110 pounds), and 150 sacks would easily add 7,500 to the ship’s load, excluding passengers, he said.

Residents watch as the Kim Nirvana ferry is lifted by a crane after it was towed to the pier in Ormo...

Residents watch as the Kim Nirvana ferry is lifted by a crane after it was towed to the pier in Ormoc City, central Philippines on July 3, 2015, a day after it capsized
Lito Bagunas, AFP

Ebcas said survivors saw that the cargo, located on the ship’s lowest level, was not fastened to the floor with ropes as it should have been.

“This could have cause the weight of the ship to shift,” said Ebcas.

Passengers on the ferry’s regular route from Ormoc to the Camotes islands regularly bring supplies from the city to their remote fishing villages.

Search operations with rescue divers were stopped on Friday before the ship was lifted to port’s berthing area.

Ebcas confirmed reports some bodies were washed to the shore of a neighbouring municipality.

The coast guard is investigating the latest in a string of deadly sea mishaps. Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya said the ship’s crew would be summoned.

Rescuers battle rough seas as they search for survivors from the ill-fated ferry near the pier in Or...

Rescuers battle rough seas as they search for survivors from the ill-fated ferry near the pier in Ormoc City, central Philippines on July 3, 2015
Ignatius Martin, AFP

“If there was negligence, it should be pursued by investigators. Appropriate charges will be filed when necessary,” presidential spokeswoman Abigail Valte told reporters Saturday.

Poorly maintained, loosely regulated ferries form the backbone of maritime travel in the Philippines, a sprawling archipelago of 100 million people.

Many sea disasters occur during the typhoon season, which starts in June.

Frequent accidents in recent decades have claimed thousands of lives, including the world’s worst peacetime maritime disaster in 1987 when the Dona Paz ferry collided with an oil tanker, leaving more than 4,300 dead.

AFP
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With 2,400 staff representing 100 different nationalities, AFP covers the world as a leading global news agency. AFP provides fast, comprehensive and verified coverage of the issues affecting our daily lives.

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