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Coast Guard: Ill-fated ferry was overloaded


(Updated 9:28 a.m.) At least 20 "unauthorized" passengers were confirmed to be aboard an ill-fated ferry that caught fire off Mindoro last Sunday while more "extra" travelers were feared "smuggled" aboard the vessel. Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Damian Carlos said Monday that these were among the initial findings of their investigation into the tragedy that hit the MV Catalyn-D and killed at least five people. "The manifest had 238 passengers. Authorized passengers and crew total was 267, but our running tally of those rescued and killed so far reached 287. So at this point there are at least 20 unauthorized or unmanifested passengers," Carlos said in Filipino during an interview on dzRH radio Monday. Carlos said this violates laws requiring ship captains to attest that a vessel is seaworthy and not overloaded before it leaves port. As this developed, Carlos said they are still not discounting the possibility that terrorism was behind the incident, but said this was an unlikely angle. "We are not discounting that theory but at this point it is a very remote possibility," he said. When asked about the possibility of more unauthorized passengers having been smuggled aboard the ill-fated ferry, he said, "meron, meron (it’s possible, it’s possible)." He said there is still a "strong possibility" that several passengers may still be missing. He said the Coast Guard has mobilized helicopters and fishing boats to look for them. The Coast Guard has also coordinated with local officials in the area to help search for more passengers, he said. "Our problem is that some crewmembers tend to hide or smuggle relatives or friends aboard the vessel," he said. He urged relatives of passengers who may have been aboard the craft but were not listed to contact the Coast Guard hotline at 0917-7243682 (0917-PCGDOTC). Carlos said the Coast Guard and Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) have started investigating the tragedy, starting with the ill-fated vessel’s seaworthiness. He said vessels are required to have lifejackets and living quarters for all passengers, and to have sufficient safety and firefighting equipment on board. Meanwhile, Coast Guard Metro Manila commander Rear Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo told dzBB radio Monday that their latest search-and-rescue operations could no longer locate the craft, indicating it may have sunk. "Our latest search-and-rescue operations can no longer detect it," Tamayo said in Filipino during an interview on dzBB radio. He said that if indeed the wooden-hulled cargo vessel had sunk, the Coast Guard will have to take testimonies from passengers who were aboard it. So far, he said the passengers have initially narrated how quickly the flames spread aboard the vessel. "Black smoke and flames spread quickly aboard the vessel," he said. Tamayo noted the owner of the ill-fated vessel, San Nicolas Shipping Lines, figured in a similar tragedy involving a wooden-hulled vessel in May 2003. At least 100 were dead after the firm's wooden-hulled banca "San Nicolas" collided with SuperFerry 12. Meanwhile, Tamayo said the Coast Guard will continue its search-and-rescue operations, while directing the Coast Guard in Southern Luzon to investigate the incident. - GMANews.TV
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