Philippines ro-ro collisior eaves many dead

摘要

A collision between a passenger ferry and a cargo ship off Gebu in the central Philippines has left over 100 dead and several others missing. Of the total 870 passengers and crew of St Thomas Aquinas, 733 were rescued, 114 were confirmed dead, and 23 were reported missing, according to figures available from the Philippine Coast Guard. St Thomas Aquinas had been on its way from Nasipit in Mindanao, southern Philippines, to disembark and pick up passengers in Cebu when it collided with the 9,754gt (454teu, 11,464dwt) Sulpicio Express Siete, off Talisay City, which had left Cebu on its way to Manila on 16 August. Aquinas listed from the impact of the collision and sank within 10 minutes, according to the PCG. It had been scheduled to head to Manila after its stop-over in Cebu. Sulpicio Express Siete sustained damage to its bow in the collision, but none of its crew members were reported hurt. "We have dispatched around 10 patrol boats, rescue vessels and one helicopter, the PCG Helo 1636, to conduct aerial surveillance for the search and rescue efforts at the site," a PCG representative told SAS shortly after the accident.