Fire on Philippine Ferry Kills 29; 225 Rescued
Philippine rescuers searched the smoldering ruins of a burnt-out ferry on Thursday for any survivors or more victims of a fire that swept through the inter-island vessel killing 29 people, including a 6-month-old baby, authorities said.Investigators have yet to identify the cause of the fire that started at about 11 p.m. (1500 GMT) on Wednesday off the southern island of Basilan, when many passengers were asleep in air-conditioned cabins on the ferry's lower deck. "I thought I was dreaming but when I opened my eyes it was dark and we were surrounded by smoke…
Oil Spill from Sunken Tanker Threatens Marine Ecosystems in the Philippines
Environment and disaster authorities in the Philippines rushed to contain an oil spill on Friday from a sunken fuel tanker that has reached coastal towns on a large central island, warning of dangers to marine ecosystems if more oil leaks. The tanker, MT Princess Empress, was still missing on Friday after sinking en route to Iloilo province carrying about 800,000 litres (211,338 gallons) of industrial fuel oil.The vessel encountered engine trouble on Tuesday due to overheating and drifted due to rough sea conditions, according to the coast guard.
At Least Seven Dead after Fire on Philippine Passenger Ferry
Seven people have died after a high-speed Philippine ferry carrying 134 people caught fire on Monday, with seven passengers still missing, the coast guard said.The ship caught fire just before reaching the port of Real in Quezon province, about 60 km (37.28 miles) east of the capital Manila. It had left Polilio Island at 5:00 a.m. local time (2100 GMT Sunday) and made a distress call at 6:30 a.m.Five women and two men had died, while 120 passengers had been rescued, with 23 of them treated for injuries…
12 Years After Ferry Disaster, Money Awarded
Relatives of two passengers of a Philippine ferry who died with 4,000 others in the world's worst peacetime sea disaster have won claims for damages after almost 12 years of court battle. The Philippine Supreme Court, in a ruling on Tuesday, awarded $18,775 in damages to the relatives of school teacher Sebastian Canezal and his 11-year-old daughter who both drowned in the sinking of the inter-island ferry Dona Paz. The Dona Paz sank in December 1987 after a collision with the oil tanker MT Vector off Mindoro island in the central Philippines. Court records showed the Dona Paz was carrying an estimated 4,000 people. Only 24 people survived. Canezal's wife and mother sued the ferry owners, Sulpicio Lines, Inc, for damages.
