The Doña Paz Ferry Disaster That Killed 4,300 (Documentary)

Summary

The Doña Paz maritime disaster of 1987 is recounted in this script, detailing the tragic collision with the MT Vector oil tanker near Marinduque, Philippines. Overcrowding and safety malpractices led to the largest peacetime maritime disaster, with only 26 survivors from an estimated 4000 on board. The narrative explores the events, the aftermath, and the legal repercussions, highlighting the negligence that contributed to the catastrophe.

Takeaways

• 🚢 The Doña Paz ferry disaster occurred on December 20, 1987, and is considered the worst maritime disaster in peacetime.
• 🗓️ The ferry was on a routine trip from Tacloban to Manila, with a stopover in Catbalogan, when it collided with the oil tanker MT Vector.
• 🔥 The collision led to an explosion and fire, causing the Doña Paz to become a floating ball of flames, with many passengers forced to jump into shark-infested waters to escape.
• 📊 It's estimated that over 4,000 people were on board, with only 24 passengers and two crew members from the MT Vector surviving the incident.
• 📜 The official manifest significantly underestimated the number of passengers due to overcrowding and unregistered individuals, including children and soldiers.
• 👥 Both vessels were found to have serious safety issues, including unlicensed crew, lack of proper certifications, and the Vector being unseaworthy.
• 🚨 The Doña Paz's crew was reportedly engaged in leisure activities rather than monitoring the ship's navigation, contributing to the collision.
• 📡 Communication between the two vessels was non-existent due to expired and fake radio licenses, preventing any warning of the impending collision.
• 🏆 The Vector was found primarily liable for the disaster, while the Doña Paz's owners were absolved due to the Vector's multiple safety violations.
• 🛳️ The Doña Paz was also found to be not seaworthy, as it had been modified with additional decks not accounted for in its stability certificate.
• 🏛️ A memorial in Catbalogan honors the victims, and the owner company, Sulpicio Lines, has since changed its name and now only operates cargo ships.

Q & A

What was the name of the passenger ferry involved in the maritime disaster on December 20, 1987?

The name of the passenger ferry was Doña Paz.

What was the estimated number of passengers and crew on the Doña Paz according to the ship's initial manifesto?

According to the ship's initial manifesto, there were 1493 passengers and 59 crew members on the Doña Paz.

What was the name of the oil tanker that collided with the Doña Paz?

The name of the oil tanker was MT Vector.

What was the estimated number of people onboard the Doña Paz based on survivor accounts?

Survivor accounts suggest that there were more than 3000 people onboard the Doña Paz.

What were the reported conditions of the MT Vector at the time of the collision?

The MT Vector was understaffed, operated without a license, and the Captain only had a second officer's license. The ship also did not have a certificate of inspection, making it unseaworthy.

What was the reported behavior of the Doña Paz's crew at the time of the collision?

The Doña Paz's Captain was allegedly watching a movie, and the other two senior officers were reportedly drinking beers. An apprentice mate was likely steering the ship at the time of the collision.

What was the cause of the explosion on the Doña Paz after the collision?

The explosion on the Doña Paz was caused by the impact with the MT Vector, which was carrying thousands of barrels of highly flammable fuel products.

How many survivors were there from the Doña Paz and MT Vector?

There were 24 survivors from the Doña Paz and two crew members from the MT Vector.

What was the aftermath of the collision for the Philippine Maritime authorities?

The Philippine Maritime authorities reportedly only learned about the collision eight hours after the incident and took another eight hours to mount a coordinated search and rescue operation.

What were the findings of the Board of Marine Inquiry regarding the responsibility for the collision?

The Board of Marine Inquiry found that the fatal incident was due to a series of safety malpractices on both vessels, with the Vector's owners found liable for operating the ship without a license and the Doña Paz's owners absolved of liability.

What changes occurred to Sulpicio Lines, the owner company of the Doña Paz, after the tragedy?

Sulpicio Lines has since changed its name and now operates under Philippine Span Asia Carrier Corporation, limited to carrying cargo only.

Outlines

00:00

🔥 The Doña Paz Maritime Disaster

The Doña Paz, a Filipino-registered passenger ferry, met a tragic end on December 20, 1987, when it collided with the MT Vector, an oil tanker, near Marinduque Island. The accident, believed to be the largest maritime disaster in peacetime, was the result of overcrowding, with an estimated 3,000 people on board, double the official manifest. The collision led to an explosion and fire that quickly engulfed the ferry, causing panic and a desperate scramble for survival. Only 24 passengers and two crew members from the Vector survived the incident, with many victims trapped below deck or jumping into shark-infested waters to escape the flames. The tragedy highlighted the lack of safety regulations and the perils of overcrowded ferries in the Philippines.

05:02

💥 The Aftermath of the Collision and Rescue Efforts

Following the collision, the MT Vector's explosive cargo ignited, turning the waters around the vessels into a fiery inferno. Survivors like military officer Luthgardro Niedo and Aludia Bascal recounted their harrowing experiences, including jumping into the burning sea and witnessing the horrifying sight of fellow passengers' burnt bodies. The rescue operation was delayed, with the authorities only learning of the collision eight hours later and taking another eight hours to initiate a search. Out of an estimated 4,300 people on board, only 26 survived, many with severe burns. The incident raised questions about the seaworthiness of both vessels, the lack of qualified crew, and the absence of proper communication and safety measures.

10:08

⚖️ The Investigation and Consequences for Sulpicio Lines

The investigation into the Doña Paz disaster revealed a series of safety violations on both vessels. The Vector was found to be unseaworthy, operated without a license, and had an understaffed crew without the necessary qualifications. The Doña Paz was also implicated, with the crew absent from their posts during the collision and no guidance provided for evacuation. It was discovered that the ferry's stability certificate was outdated due to additional decks added for more passengers. The tragedy led to the renaming and rebranding of Sulpicio Lines, which had been involved in multiple accidents resulting in significant loss of life. A memorial was erected in Catbalogan to honor the victims, and the company now operates solely as a cargo carrier.

Keywords

💡Doña Paz

The Doña Paz was a Filipino-registered passenger ferry involved in the largest maritime disaster in times of peace. The ferry was on a routine trip from Tacloban to Manila when it collided with an oil tanker, the MT Vector, leading to a catastrophic explosion and fire. The incident resulted in the loss of over 4,000 lives, making it a central element of the video's theme of tragedy and maritime disasters.

💡Maritime Disaster

A maritime disaster refers to a major accident or catastrophe at sea involving ships or other vessels. In the context of the video, the term is used to describe the tragic sinking of the Doña Paz and the MT Vector, which is considered one of the least known yet most devastating maritime disasters due to the high number of casualties.

💡Overcrowding

Overcrowding on passenger ferries is a condition where a vessel carries more passengers than it is designed or registered to hold. In the video, overcrowding is a critical issue on the Doña Paz, with witness accounts suggesting that the ferry was carrying more than double its official capacity, contributing to the severity of the disaster.

💡MT Vector

The MT Vector was a Filipino-owned oil tanker that collided with the Doña Paz. Carrying over 1000 tons of gasoline and petroleum products, the tanker's collision with the ferry resulted in a massive explosion and subsequent fire, highlighting the dangers of transporting highly flammable materials at sea.

💡Collision

A collision in this context refers to the impact between the Doña Paz and the MT Vector. The collision occurred due to a series of navigational errors and safety malpractices, leading to a catastrophic explosion that engulfed both vessels and caused a massive loss of life.

💡Safety Malpractices

Safety malpractices are practices that deviate from established safety protocols and can lead to accidents or disasters. The video describes several safety malpractices on both the Doña Paz and the MT Vector, including unlicensed crew members, lack of proper lookout, and expired or fake radio licenses, which contributed to the tragic collision.

💡Survivors

Survivors are individuals who have lived through a disaster or traumatic event. The video recounts the harrowing experiences of survivors from the Doña Paz disaster, such as Aludia Bascal and Luthgardro Niedo, whose accounts help piece together the events of the tragic night and underscore the human impact of the disaster.

💡Sulpicio Lines

Sulpicio Lines was the owner of the Doña Paz and is mentioned in the video as having a history of maritime accidents. The company's involvement in multiple accidents, including the Doña Paz disaster, raises questions about corporate responsibility and safety standards in the shipping industry.

💡Memorial

A memorial is a structure or site created to honor and remember those who have died, particularly in significant events or disasters. The video mentions a memorial in Catbalogan, the last stopover of the Doña Paz, and another at Pieta, which serves as a place of mourning and remembrance for the victims of the maritime disaster.

💡Search and Rescue Operation

A search and rescue operation is a coordinated effort to locate and save people who are lost or in danger, often following a disaster. The video describes the delayed response of the Philippine Maritime authorities, which only mounted a search and rescue operation 16 hours after the collision, highlighting the challenges and criticisms of disaster response.

💡Stability Certificate

A stability certificate is a document that certifies a ship's ability to maintain stability and return to an even keel under various conditions. The video explains that the Doña Paz's stability certificate was based on an outdated design, not accounting for additional decks added to the vessel, which may have affected its ability to avoid the collision and contributed to the disaster.

Highlights

The Doña Paz maritime disaster is considered the largest in peacetime history.

The ferry was en route from Tacloban to Manila with a stop in Catbalogan.

The Doña Paz collided with the MT Vector, an oil tanker, near Marinduque Island.

Only 26 people survived the tragedy, out of an estimated 4,000+ on board.

Overcrowding on the ferry was notorious, with the vessel carrying double its capacity.

The Doña Paz was heavily loaded, leaning significantly to one side upon departure.

The ferry's manifest was falsified, with many passengers unaccounted for.

An explosion and fire engulfed the Doña Paz after the collision, trapping many passengers.

Passengers jumped into shark-infested waters to escape the burning ferry.

The fire on the water turned the surrounding sea into an inferno, killing many who jumped overboard.

Survivor accounts reveal the desperate struggle to stay afloat in the boiling waters.

The Doña Paz sank in less than two hours after the collision.

Maritime authorities were slow to respond, only learning of the collision eight hours later.

Investigations found multiple safety malpractices, including unlicensed crew and lack of life vests.

The Doña Paz's stability certificate was outdated, making the ship unseaworthy.

Sulpicio Lines, owner of the Doña Paz, had a history of maritime accidents.

A memorial in Catbalogan honors the victims of the tragedy.

Sulpicio Lines has since changed its name and now operates only cargo services.

The channel offers a humorous segue into a Scottish title purchase service.

Transcripts

It’s a routine trip carrying holidaymakers to visit family when tragedy strikes the Doña

Paz.

Petrified passangers risk their lives as they take the leap from the floating ball of flames.

For some, it’s a fatal decision either way.

And, it is not the first time the shipping company has faced an avoidable accident, nor

will it be the last.

As the Doña Paz sets off on the 20th of December, 1987, everyone expects it to arrive at its

destination.

The Filipino-registered passenger ferry takes the journey from Tacloban to Manila [with

stop-over in Catbalogan] twice a week.

Though the sinking of the Doña Paz is believed to be the largest maritime disaster in times

of peace, it is probably one of the least known tragedies to date.

En-route the inter-island passenger ferry collidea with a Filipino-owned oil tanker,

the MT Vector, at Dumali Point, near the island of Marinduque.

The oil tanker is on its way from Bataan to Masbate, carrying 1041 tons of gasoline and

petroleum products for Caltex, Philippines.

Sadly, neither the passenger ferry nor the oil tanker would ever reach their destination.

And only 24 passengers from the ferry and two crew members from the oil tanker would

live to tell the story of what happened on that fateful evening.

Since none of the Doña Paz crew survived, and the two crew members from the Vector were

reportedly asleep at the time of the collision, only the accounts of the survivors can help

us to piece together what caused this tragedy.

It is estimated that up to 16 million Islanders travel between some 7 thousand islands every

year in the Philippines, making ferry travel the most economical mode for many locals.

According to subsequent reports, overcrowding on passenger ferries is notorious in the country,

but even more so on this occasion, just five days before Christmas.

On Sunday, 20 December, the Doña Paz was making its way to Manila, with many excited

islanders hoping to meet up with family for the festive season.

Witness accounts claimed that the vessel, registered to carry just over 1 thousand 500

passengers, was reportedly leaning significantly more to one side when it left the port, indicating

that it was heavily loaded.

At 6:30 am, Doña Paz left the island of Leyte, setting sail for the overnight trip to Manilla.

According to the ship's initial manifesto, the vessel carried 1493 passengers and 59

crew members.

In contrast, survivors say the ferry was jam-packed.

One of the survivors Aludia Bascal, who was traveling with her father Salvador, told a

National Geographic film crew that the passengers were crammed into the ferry like cockroaches

or ants.

She said she saw four or more people sharing makeshift cots while hundreds tried to get

comfortable on the floors of the three-deck ferry.

In the same documentary, another survivor, military officer Luthgardro Niedo, says he

and about 1000 soldiers boarded at the last minute and were therefore not included on

the ship's official manifest.

It's also believed that about 1000 children under the age of 4, as estimated by the survivors,

were also left off the manifest.

This meant that the estimated headcount was double what it was said to be - with more

than 3000 people onboard.

At around ten that evening, many passengers were trying to sleep as the ferry was due

to dock in Manilla at around 4:30 am, a mere six hours away.

According to survivors, the evening was clear, and the waters choppy as the Doña Paz made

its way down the Tablas Strait.

Aludia's father, Salvador Bascal, found himself on the top deck that evening and saw a ship's

lights heading towards the ferry.

He would soon realize that the boat was sailing way too close and realized that it was going

to crash into their vessel.

That ship was, of course, the 629-ton, steel-hulled MT Vector carrying thousands of barrels of

highly flammable fuel products along with its crew of thirteen.

Yet despite good visibility and calm sea conditions, the Vector rammed right into the port side

of the Doña Paz, setting off an explosion that ripped through the engine room and main

switchboard of the ferry.

Survivors say the fire spread rapidly through the vessel, leaving multiple passengers trapped

by the inferno, unable to reach the decks.

It's believed the explosion led to a blackout onboard, which caused a frantic stampede in

overcrowded corridors as people tried to escape the flames and toxic fumes.

According to reports, hundreds of passengers who made it to the top deck near the ship's

railings threw themselves overboard into notoriously shark-infested waters of the strait rather

than risk dying in the flaming inferno on the ferry.

But they did not know at the time that the explosive cargo caused the blast on the tanker,

quickly turning the surrounding waters into a sea of fire.

Niedo, the military officer, was reportedly one of the first people to jump ship at the

moment of impact.

According to him, both vessels exploded a minute later, igniting the thick oil slick

on the water.

Aludia, who managed to jump overboard, quickly realized that the "sea was on fire" and resided

in the fact that she would probably die there.

Reports indicate that the flames on the water quickly grew miles wide around the vessels

as the evening winds fanned the fire on.

As passengers hurled themselves into the ocean, they discovered to their horror, that the

waters around the ships were littered with the burnt corpses of their fellow passengers.

Aludia said she had a tough time staying afloat and soon realized that the water was heating

up and started boiling the survivors alive.

But just as she gave up the fight to stay alive, her father, Salvador, found her.

Her skin peeled off as he grabbed her.

The two said they swam for over an hour to escape the hot waters burning them.

With little strength left to continue their fight for survival, the pair was scooped out

of the waters by a cargo vessel, the Don Claudio, which rescued them and the rest of the survivors.

According to maritime investigations and missing people's reports, it is believed that more

than 4300 people were traveling on the ferry that evening.

Tragically, only 24 passengers survived, along with two crew members from the oil tanker.

Many had to receive emergency treatment for third-degree burns.

Some survivors even spoke of seeing the skin falling and peeling from those around them.

In 2012, it came to light that there were, in fact, 25 Doña Paz survivors when Valeriana

Duma made it known via a television show called Wish Ko Lang!

Just 14 at the time, Duma was not accounted for by officials, making her the youngest

survivor.

It took less than two hours for the Doña Paz to meet her watery final resting place.

Arnel Galang, 18 at the time, told reporters the ship was engulfed in flames and rotated

twice before sinking slowly.

The Vector went down four hours after the initial explosion.

The Philippine Maritime authorities reportedly only learned about the collision eight hours

after the incident.

It would take the authorities yet another eight hours to mount a coordinated search

and rescue operation.

Over the following days, only 207 bodies washed up on the shores of the Tablas Strait.

Many believed that so few bodies were recovered due to the area being infamous for man-eating

sharks.

Maritime experts, however, believe it is more likely that passengers on the ferry died in

the overcrowded lower decks, overcome by the flames and unable to find their way to the

top decks.

But how exactly did these two vessels collide?

Reports based on witness accounts found that it was a clear evening which meant that visibility

was good.

Both vessels had their lights on and were moving pretty slowly at the time - the Doña

Paz at 16 miles per hour (26 km/h), and the Vector at a mere 5 miles (8 km) per hour.

It's also believed that the ships were surrounded by more than 11.5 square miles (30 square

kilometers) of open seas, allowing enough room to avoid a collision.

So what happened that night?

According to a surviving crew member of the Vector, Second Officer Reynaldo Tarife, the

vessel was understaffed, and neither he nor Captain Celso Abella had the necessary licenses.

Captain Abella only had a second officer's license, while the chief and chief engineer

were not licensed at all.

On top of that, the Vector did not have a certificate of inspection, making the vessel

unseaworthy at the time.

The Board of Marine Inquiry, looking into the incident, found that two people were needed

to steer the wheel of the tanker due to the ship's weight, which resulted in a zig-zag

motion toward the Doña Paz - which may have confused the crew.

Still, with plenty of room to maneuver on the open seas, why didn't the Doña Paz move

out of the way?

Well, according to the signed affidavits of the survivors, the vessel's Captain, Eusebio

Nazareno, was allegedly watching a moving at the time of the collision.

The other two senior officers were reportedly seen drinking beers.

Military survivor Niedo said he was chatting to a fellow soldier before the crash who told

him that there was a party at the bridge which the captain was at.

Niedo added that the soldier surmised that it meant that an apprentice mate was probably

steering the ship at the time.

And why didn't the vessels radio each other?

Based on investigations by the Board of Marine Inquiry, the Vector had an expired radio license,

and the Doña Paz carried a fake one.

So, who is to blame for this tragedy?

The board found that the fatal incident was due to a series of safety malpractices on

both vessels.

The owners of the Vector were found liable as the ship was not seaworthy and operated

without a license, a lookout, and a qualified Captain.

The Board subsequently found against the Vectors operator and owner Francisco Sorian and the

Vector Shipping Corp, absolving the Doña Paz's owners, Sulpicio Lines, of any liability

for the accident.

But the Philippine Coast Guard investigations found that none of the Doña Paz's crew was

stationed at their post when the collision occurred, leaving only one apprentice to man

the ship's bridge.

The crew also gave no guidance regarding evacuation efforts on the ferry, which was exacerbated

by the lack of life vests locked away on the decks' lockers.

Attorneys representing the Vectors owners added that the Doña Paz had been refurbished

in the early 1980s, adding two more decks to the vessel to allow more passengers.

However, the ship's certificate of stability was issued in 1980 based on two, not the four

decks it had when it went down.

This meant that the Doña Paz was actually not seaworthy at the time of the collision

as the stability certificate which was issued, would not take into account the extra two

decks.

The stability certificate essentially regulates that the ship has the ability to return to

an even keel if there is any inclination caused by outside factors, like strong winds or waves,

when a ship a turns.

We know by way of witness accounts that the ship was already listing to one side due to

overcrowding, which could have affected the ships ability to steer out of the way of the

approaching oil tanker.

It appears, however that tragedy and heartache was to follow Sulpicio Lines.

The owner company has been involved in four shipping accidents that claimed the lives

of around 5000 people over a period of 11 years.

The last incident in 2008 saw the Princess of the Stars ship go down near Sibuyan Island,

killing around 800 people.

A memorial honouring the victims of the tragedy was held in a park in Catbalogan, the ship’s

last stopover before it set sail on that fateful trip.

The memorial sight at Pieta which means pity in Italian, allows family and friends of the

victims a space to hounour their lives, in the absence of burial sites, as many bodies

were not recovered.

Sulpicio Lines has since changed its name and operates under Philippine Span Asia Carrier

Corporation, limited now to only carrying cargo.

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