Ship owner may face criminal raps over Mindoro tragedy

The owner of the ship that caught fire off Mindoro Island may be slapped with criminal charges, radio dzBB reported on Sunday. Quoting Admiral Damian Carlos of the Philippine Coast Guard, dzBB said San Nicolas Lines, its owner, identified as Samuel Nicolas, and others who can be found responsible for the sea mishap that claimed the lives of five people, may be charged with "reckless imprudence resulting in possible homicide." DzBB said the sea mishap was not the first time for the shipping company. In February 2004, a passenger ship of San Nicolas Lines reportedly collided with a Super Ferry ship that resulted in fatalities. The same report said the Coast Guard's probe of the incident is ongoing. The Maritime Industry Authority is expected to do its own investigation through the Board of Marine Inquiry. At least five people, one of them a five year-old girl, were killed in the fire that hit passenger ship MV Catalyn-D on Sunday. Commander Joseph Coyme, spokesman of the Philippine Coast Guard, told dZBB that they received reports at about 8 a.m., Sunday, that MV Catalyn-D was on its way to Palawan when tragedy struck. The ship was en route from Manila to southwestern Palawan province with at least 216 passengers and 21 crewmen on board when the fire broke out, Coyme said, prompting passengers to abandon the ferry. He said several passing ships rescued passengers, and the coast guard was still in the process of matching names of people recovered with those on the manifest. So far 128 survivors have been counted, while another passing ship which rescued about a hundred people has not yet submitted its list, Coyme said. - GMANews.TV