MANILA, Philippines – A total of 111 sea tragedies involving 84 local commercial vessels have occurred in Philippine waters since 1980, Lloyd’s of London records obtained by The STAR showed.
Surprisingly, it is the Aboitiz Transport Systems Inc. and not the controversial Sulpicio Lines Inc. which posted the highest number of sea accidents – 71 - involving 55 of its vessels.
The report showed SLI was second on the list with 45 accidents. Trans Asia and Lorenzo Shipping followed with 18 and 11 incidents respectively, each involving 10 vessels.
Negros Navigation had seven sea mishaps involving five of its ferries.
Some of the accidents involving Aboitiz’s vessels include the Aug. 15, 2007 running aground of SuperCat 23 off Cuta, Batangas, the engine room explosion on Butuan Bay 1 on May 15, 2007, and fire on SuperFerry 1 near Cape Calavitye in Mindoro on May 14, 2006 due to faulty electrical wiring.
SuperFerry 1 suffered minimal damage and was able to reach Coron, Palawan. SuperFerry 2 struck an underwater object off Bogo on Sept. 14, 2004 and was diverted to Cebu.
More than 120 passengers died in a fire caused by an explosion on board SuperFerry 14 on Feb. 27, 2004.
Meanwhile, Negros Navigation’s St. Joseph the Worker caught fire on Feb. 2, 2006 off Negros Occidental. The fire was extinguished by the crew and the vessel proceeded to Bacolod City on the same day. On Aug. 12, 2004 the same vessel collided with Sea Celebrity while leaving the port of Manila.
SLI hogged the limelight recently with the sinking of M/V Princess of the Stars on June 21, 2008.
Records also showed that machinery damage, fire and explosion, and collision were the main causes of sea tragedies, followed by running aground in shallow waters.
The sinking of Doña Paz in 1987 was considered the worst peace-time sea tragedy. It claimed more than 2,000 lives.
United Filipino Seafarers led by Nelson Ramirez said the alarming statistics on maritime accidents should compel the government to address once and for all the poor state of the country’s shipping industry.
The group said the victims of sea accidents are mostly the poor who have no choice but to take the cheaper but risky sea voyage.
But employees of shipping lines are also affected by the sorry state of the industry because many of them lose jobs in the aftermath of serious accidents involving their companies.
More than 300 employees of SLI are in danger of losing their jobs after the government suspended its passenger service.