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46 rescued, 27 still missing in Cavite predawn sea mishap
(Updated 1:00 p.m.) At least 46 people were rescued, while 27 others remained missing after a motor banca and a fishing boat collided off Cavite province before dawn on Thursday.
View Catalyn B - Natalya collision map in a larger map In an interview on Unang Hirit, Philippine Coast Guard-National Capital Region chief Commodore Luis Tuason Jr. said search-and-rescue teams had been sent to the scene of the accident at 7 a.m. The Coast Guard sent to the scene search-and-rescue vessels BRP Pampanga and BRP Romblon, and motor tug "Habagat." A helicopter was also scouring the area for passengers. Initial reports reaching the Coast Guard action center in Manila showed that motor banca “Catalyn B," which had 15 crew members and 59 passengers, collided with fishing vessel “Natalya" four nautical miles off Limbones Island in Cavite at 2:20 a.m. An initial record check by the Coast Guard showed that the Catalyn B, owned by San Nicolas Shipping Lines, had left Manila port at 9 p.m. on Wednesday for Lubang Island in Mindoro. Tuason said the wooden passenger vessel, which weighed 79 gross tons, sank after its front collided with the back of the steel Natalya, which weighed 369 gross tons. The collision was not caused by any weather disturbance or equipment problem, Tuason said. "Rules of the road" may not have been followed In a separate interview over radio dzBB at noon, Tuason said the Coast Guard's initial investigation of the incident showed that the two vessels might have failed to follow the rules on which vessel will sail along a certain path first. "Klaro kasi dito na nagkaroon ng problema sa pag-oobserve ng rules of the road (It is clear that there was a problem in following the rules of the road)," he said. "Kasi meron tayong rules kung ano ang privileged, alin ang stand-on vessel, at kung sakaling ikaw ang privileged vessel at hindi sumusunod yung kabilang barko ay kinakailangan din mag-evade ka rin, mag-take ka ng evasive actions para hindi matuloy ang collision (There are privileged vessels, and there are stand-on vessels. If you're the privileged vessel and the other vessel doesn't follow the rules, you have to take evasive actions that will prevent the collision)," he said.
Previous incidents On May 25, 2003, M/V Super Ferry 12 and M/V San Nicolas collided off Limbones Island, killing 43 people. One hundred eighty two persons survived the sea tragedy. Tuason said the area off Limbones Island has since been monitored by the Coast Guard using traffic equipment located on Corregidor Island. Sea accidents are common in the Philippines due to tropical storms, badly maintained boats and weak enforcement of safety regulations. [See: Major marine mishaps in the Philippines] In June 2008, a ferry capsized after sailing towards a powerful typhoon off Romblon, killing more than 800 people on board. In December 1987, the ferry Doña Paz sank after colliding with a fuel tanker, killing 4,341 people in the world's worst peacetime maritime disaster. — Johanna Camille L. Sisante with reports from AP, LBG/RSJ/NPA/TJD, GMANews.TV
View Catalyn B - Natalya collision map in a larger map In an interview on Unang Hirit, Philippine Coast Guard-National Capital Region chief Commodore Luis Tuason Jr. said search-and-rescue teams had been sent to the scene of the accident at 7 a.m. The Coast Guard sent to the scene search-and-rescue vessels BRP Pampanga and BRP Romblon, and motor tug "Habagat." A helicopter was also scouring the area for passengers. Initial reports reaching the Coast Guard action center in Manila showed that motor banca “Catalyn B," which had 15 crew members and 59 passengers, collided with fishing vessel “Natalya" four nautical miles off Limbones Island in Cavite at 2:20 a.m. An initial record check by the Coast Guard showed that the Catalyn B, owned by San Nicolas Shipping Lines, had left Manila port at 9 p.m. on Wednesday for Lubang Island in Mindoro. Tuason said the wooden passenger vessel, which weighed 79 gross tons, sank after its front collided with the back of the steel Natalya, which weighed 369 gross tons. The collision was not caused by any weather disturbance or equipment problem, Tuason said. "Rules of the road" may not have been followed In a separate interview over radio dzBB at noon, Tuason said the Coast Guard's initial investigation of the incident showed that the two vessels might have failed to follow the rules on which vessel will sail along a certain path first. "Klaro kasi dito na nagkaroon ng problema sa pag-oobserve ng rules of the road (It is clear that there was a problem in following the rules of the road)," he said. "Kasi meron tayong rules kung ano ang privileged, alin ang stand-on vessel, at kung sakaling ikaw ang privileged vessel at hindi sumusunod yung kabilang barko ay kinakailangan din mag-evade ka rin, mag-take ka ng evasive actions para hindi matuloy ang collision (There are privileged vessels, and there are stand-on vessels. If you're the privileged vessel and the other vessel doesn't follow the rules, you have to take evasive actions that will prevent the collision)," he said.
Previous incidents On May 25, 2003, M/V Super Ferry 12 and M/V San Nicolas collided off Limbones Island, killing 43 people. One hundred eighty two persons survived the sea tragedy. Tuason said the area off Limbones Island has since been monitored by the Coast Guard using traffic equipment located on Corregidor Island. Sea accidents are common in the Philippines due to tropical storms, badly maintained boats and weak enforcement of safety regulations. [See: Major marine mishaps in the Philippines] In June 2008, a ferry capsized after sailing towards a powerful typhoon off Romblon, killing more than 800 people on board. In December 1987, the ferry Doña Paz sank after colliding with a fuel tanker, killing 4,341 people in the world's worst peacetime maritime disaster. — Johanna Camille L. Sisante with reports from AP, LBG/RSJ/NPA/TJD, GMANews.TV
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