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PCG: Seven still missing in RORO mishap off Masbate


The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in Masbate said at least seven passengers of the RORO ship MV Lady of Mount Carmel which sank off Burias Island early on Friday are still missing.

According to a report from Balitanghali's JP Soriano, those still missing are:

  • Abigail Barredo
  • Noan Manokan
  • Fe Rasping
  • Leticia Andaya
  • Arianne Comidor
  • Jonas Comidor, and
  • Jocelyn Danao.


Without warning

Sailing in good weather on a short trip to Masbate, the ship reportedly sank, without warning, in less than a minute, leaving the crew no time to give out jackets to the passengers.

"Tumagilid yung barko. Pagtagilid, dire-diretso kaagad. Malalim yung area dito eh. Napakalalim ng dagat," said Lauro Mateo, who captained the ship.

The roll-on roll-off ship (RORO), Medallion Transport had left Pio Duran, Albay at around 2:00 a.m. Friday morning with over 60 vehicles on board, including two buses and two trucks.

As of Saturday, the PCG, along with the Philippine Navy, are still conducting search and rescue operations using two rescue vessels.

The latest PCG report listed 70 people aboard the ship during the time of the accident.

The 70 people include:
  • 39 passengers who have been rescued;
  • two passengers who have died;
  • seven passengers who are still missing, and
  • 22 crew members, including the captain, who are all safe.

According to the PCG, only 35 passengers were listed on the ship's manifest.

The PCG explained that this is a violation of the law on the part of Cebu-based Medallion Transport, operator of the vessel.

They also noted that upon inspection, the sunken vessel had incomplete and unexpired documents.

Meanwhile, the remains of the two fatalities will be boarded on another ship owned by Medallion Transport and will be heading back to Manila on Saturday.

Ship is sinking

Meanwhile, a seperate report from Balitanghali's Chino Gaston said there were still no official findings released by the PCG on why the ship sank quickly.

However, interviews conducted by the PCG with some survivors point to the possibility of the ship losing its balance after a bus, which was being transported by the ship, veered off and caused the ship to tilt and sink.

Another angle being looked at by the PCG is the failure of the ship's bilge pump which removes excess water in a ship through a hole in the engine room.

The water is then expelled through a propelling mechanism. The ship could sink due to a busted bilge pump, the report said.

Depth of over 1,000 feet

The area where the ship sank was inspected by PCG and navy personnel for survivors as well as possible clues to the cause of the sinking.

Currently, search and rescue operations are being conducted which usually turn into search and retrieval operations after three days.

Some members of the rescue team dropped off an anchor and dived an estimated 40 feet to see what was under the water.

However, based on data from the nautical chart, the area listed a depth of over 1,314 feet according to the report.

After the dive, a rubber boat was used to inspect other parts of the area along with a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) ship manned by PCG personnel.

Three previous accidents

The report said that the area where the ship sunk is dangerous since it is where currents converged from different seas.

According to the BFAR, there were three other ships which shared the same fate as the MV Lady of Mount Carmel previously.

The report added that it would prove difficult to salvage the ship without the specialized equipment needed to lift the ship from the ocean floor.

However, if a salvage operation was attempted then it may not be cost effective since the expenses may be compared to buying a brand new ship.

- Andrei Medina, VVP, GMA News
Tags: roro, masbate
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