| |
MANILA : Philippine rescue teams are battling fierce seas and high winds in their search for survivors of one of the country's worst ferry disasters.
The Princess of the Stars capsized on Saturday with nearly 900 people on board. So far, at least 36 people have been rescued.
A US navy ship is now heading to the Philippines to aid in search efforts.
For now, the government has barred all ships belonging to Sulpicio Lines - the owner of the ferry - from leaving port.
A taskforce has also been formed to investigate the disaster.
A handful of people managed to swim to safety as the MV Princess of the Stars went down within minutes in the middle of a typhoon.
One survivor, Jonathan Pendo, said: "We just kept our composure. We just told ourselves we have survived and... if we do not help each other, we will all end up dead."
Another survivor, Susan Lesbo, said: "It was good that we were with some of the crew in our sea journey because they knew how to manoeuvre the life raft."
For the families of the other passengers, it is a painful waiting game.
Antoinette Vinzon, a relative of a missing passenger, said: "We just want to know if they survived or not, at least we don't have to keep on worrying, rather than keeping us inside the office. Some people are just starting to get angry."
Worry turns to anger as hopes dim of finding more survivors, even as the rough weather hampers rescue efforts.
Commodore Luis Tuason, Chief, Metro Manila Coast Guard, said: "One sixteenth or one-fifteenth of the boat is only above the water line. So, not so many people can be accommodated there, and what was shown in the picture is the portion where the bow thruster is located. There is no space... for people (there)."
Navy divers plan to drill into the side of the vessel in the hopes of finding survivors.
President Gloria Arroyo reprimanded the Philippine coast guard for allowing the ship to sail with the onslaught of the typhoon. However, coast guard officials said the ship did not violate any of the existing maritime guidelines.
Based on existing protocols, when typhoon Signal No 1 is declared, it is up to the ship's owner to decide whether to push through the sea voyage. The government can only decide or intervene when the storm signal is beyond that of Signal No 1.
Though the Board of Marine Inquiry has yet to conclude its investigation, the Philippine Coast Guard is already putting the blame on the shipping company Sulpicio Lines.
However, what is more important than finding out who is responsible for this tragedy is the need to review the current maritime guidelines to prevent another similar sea mishap from happening again in the future.
President Arroyo has already ordered a review of the existing guidelines, crafted in 1998.
Since 1987, Sulpicio Lines has figured in three maritime disasters, including the MV Dona Paz tragedy which left more than 4,000 people dead, making it the world's worst peacetime sea tragedy. - CNA/ms
|
