The fate of St. Thomas Aquinas ferry

St. Thomas Aquinas ferry sank!

The passenger roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) St. Thomas Aquinas ferry is owned by 2Go Group, Inc. and operated by 2GO Travel. Its former names were Supperferry 2, Aboitiz Supperferry 2 and Ferry Sumiyoshi. It was launched on December 19, 1972 and was completed on March 1973, 40 years of maiden voyage before it met a very tragic accident last August 16, 2013. (Image via miaminewsday.com)

It has a Gross Register Tonnage (GRT) of 11,405 powered by two Mitsubishi engines and propelled by two shafts; fixed pitch propellers. At the time of the collision, the ferry was carrying 715 passengers and 116 crew members, among them were 58 infants.

Tragic event

The ferry departed from Nasipit, Agusan del Norte on August 16, 2013 and was heading into the port at Cebu City when it collided with a cargo ship, MV Sulpicio Express Siete, that was leaving port at around 21:00 PHT. It took only 30 minutes before St. Thomas Aquinas finally sank. MV Sulpicio Express  Siete, owned by Philippine Span Asia Carrier Corporation, did not sink with its 36 crew members on board but was left with a heavy damage at the bow as shown in the image below.

Via NewsInfo.Inquirer.Net

Latest news update reported that there are around 750 passengers and crew rescued of the total 870 on board the ill-fated ferry. It was further reported that many of the survivors were sickened after swallowing seawater and oil believed to have leaked from St. Thomas Aquinas.

Ferries especially the RoRo type are the most affordable main form of transport across the Philippine archipelago.

BBC News reported that maritime accidents in the Philippines are common due to a combination of bad weather, poor maintenance, and lax enforcement of safety regulations.

The Philippine Span Asia Carrier Corporation (operator of Sulpicio Lines) has been involved in five maritime disasters, including the 1987 sinking of Doña Paz, which was considered as the worst peacetime nautical disaster in history.

Related posts: Worst peacetime shipping disasters