Investigator blames captain for Philippine ferry tragedy

The captain of a Philippines ship that sank in a typhoon killing nearly 800 people dead was to blame for the disaster, an investigator said Wednesday. The captain took the ship to sea despite a typhoon warning, preliminary results of an official investigation into the sinking of the Princess of the Stars ferry found. “Human [...]

P9.8-M suit starts wave of civil cases vs Sulpicio

MANILA, Philippines – A P9.8-million civil suit was lodged Thursday against Sulpicio Lines Inc. for the MV Princess of the Stars tragedy, even as government lawyers said more suits are to come. Radio dzRH reported Thursday afternoon that relatives of Jonathan Calayag lodged the case before the Manila regional trial court with the help of [...]

BMI closes ‘Princess’ tragedy probe; findings out next week

MANILA, Philippines – The Board of Marine Inquiry (BMI) on Thursday closed its investigation into the capsizing of MV Princess of the Stars off Sibuyan Island last June 21. At the end of Thursday’s hearing, BMI chair Rear Admiral Ramon Liwag said the Board is terminating its investigation into the incident, saying the group has [...]

‘Princess’ should have returned to Manila, maritime expert says

MANILA, Philippines – A maritime expert on Thursday said the master of the MV Princess of the Stars may have erred in deciding to push through the vessel’s pre-plotted course which led to the ship’s capsizing off Sibuyan Island at the height of typhoon “Frank” last June 21. During the resumption of the Board of [...]

Sulpicio Lines lays off 136 workers in Cebu – report

MANILA, Philippines – Nearly a month after government suspended its operations over the capsizing of the MV Princess of the Stars, Sulpicio Lines Inc. has laid off 136 of its workers in Cebu. DZBB Cebu reported Thursday that the management blamed the suspension for the layoffs, citing losses of some P1 million a day. The [...]

UN team to advise on salvage of toxic Philippine ferry cargo

UN experts are expected in the Philippines later Friday to advise the authorities on the salvage of a capsized ferry laden with toxic chemicals to avoid an ecological disaster, officials said. They will be based on the central island of Sibuyan, near where the 24,000-ton Princess of the Stars with hundreds of people and 10 [...]

Philippine ferry disaster investigators quit over ‘bias’

Two members of a Philippine panel investigating a ferry disaster which cost about 800 lives quit Tuesday after the ship’s operator accused them of bias. Rear Admiral Benjamin Mata and Commodore Amado Romillo of the Philippine Coast Guard said they were stepping down to “preserve the integrity” of the board of marine inquiry. The Princess [...]

Coast Guard: Legal row won’t stall BMI probe

MANILA, Philippines – Sulpicio Lines’ petition seeking to stop an ongoing Board of Marine Inquiry (BMI) investigation into the MV Princess of the Stars tragedy will not stop the Board from doing its work, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said on Tuesday. Radio dzBB’s Sam Nielsen reported that PCG commandant Vice Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo said [...]

EU to send mission after Philippines ferry disaster

The European Union is to send a mission of experts to investigate toxic chemicals on board a Philippine ferry which sank carrying more than 850 people, French officials said Friday. Interior Minister Michele Alliot-Marie decided after discussions with the foreign and European affairs ministries that an EU “mission of expertise and support” should be sent [...]

Negligence killed hundreds in past sea mishaps – BMI

MANILA, Philippines – As relatives of the victims of the MV Princess of the Stars tragedy continue to wait for news about their loved ones, the Board of Marine Inquiry has started its own search, not for survivors or bodies, but for those who must be held responsible for the disaster. BMI findings in past [...]