At Least Five Dead in Philippines Foundering

Published Apr 3, 2015 3:40 AM by Wendy Laursen

A passenger vessel sank off the Sulu province of the Philippines on Thursday night. Five bodies have been recovered from the unregistered MPB Wilayza.

The vessel sunk between the islands of Pata and Tapul, and most of the passengers on board were local residents.

Authorities have rescued 14 passengers including seven children. They are now undergoing medical treatment while the search continues.

The vessel is believed to have been overloaded with sacks of cement and iron bars. There were 50 passengers on board plus crew when it sunk.

The sinking occurred as typhoon Maysak heads towards the country, although authorities report that sea conditions were normal when the vessel capsized.

The tragedy follows other passenger vessel accidents such as the loss of the ro-ro ferry Maharlika Dos in September last year. The vessel capsized and sank off Pintuyan, Leyte Island after suffering engine failure. Without power, the ferry was left to struggle with the heavy rains, high waves and strong winds. It listed and then sank, and around 40 people lost their lives.

Seven passenger ships were lost globally during 2014, accounting for almost 10 percent of total losses, according to Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty SE’s third annual Safety and Shipping Review 2015, which analyzes reported shipping losses of over 100 gross tons. More than a third of 2014’s total losses of all ship types were in two maritime regions: South China, Indo China, Indonesia and the Philippines (17 ships) and Japan, Korea and North China (12 ships).