Ferry sinks off Zamboanga

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines - A passenger ferry from Malaysia capsized Thursday night shortly after 799 passengers, mostly deportees, disembarked on the wharf of the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) in this city.

Engineer Liberto Dela Rosa, the PPA manager, said there was no casualty when M/V Danica Joy of the Alesson Shipping Lines capsized past 9 p.m.

Dela Rosa said the ill-fated ferry with 56 crew members arrived about 4:30 p.m. from Malaysia. The passengers, who include 603 Filipino deportees, 11 Malaysians and an Australian have already disembarked hours before the mishap.

The PPA manager said the ship started to list on its starboard at the right about 9 p.m. while dock workers were unloading the cargoes, including 33.90 tons of packed vegetable oil and other barter goods.

The ill-fated ferry was a 998.52-gross tonnage vessel.

Another ferry tried to help but the vessel continued to tilt until it capsized.

“Mabilis ang pangyayari while dock workers were unloading the cargoes,” Dela Rosa said. “Fortunately, no casualty was reported.”

He said all 56 crews were immediately evacuated before the ship capsized on its side.

Mayor Ma. Isabelle Climaco-Salazar immediately mobilized the response team from the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (CDRRMO) to assist the Coast Guard.

The Coast Guard station here said that an investigation is being conducted to determine the cause of the accident.

Dela Rosa said the Coast Guard immediately secured the area to prevent possible oil spill.

He said the berthing area where the ship capsized was temporarily closed for berthing allocation of inbound ships.

Dela Rosa said they would also conduct their separate fact-finding inquiry with reports to be presented to their Manila office.