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(Image source: BBC)
BY NICHOLE CARTMELL
Hundreds are still missing after a ferry sailing into a port in the Philippines collided with
a cargo ship Friday evening.
In total, the ship was carrying 752 passengers and 118 crew members. According to the Philippine
Coast Guard, 31 of those people are believed to be dead, and nearly 200 are still missing.
(Via The Telegraph)
The incident took place about a mile off the coast around 9 p.m. local time. Hundreds of
passengers jumped into the water as the St. Thomas Aquinas flooded. (Via ITV)
It took about 30 minutes for the ferry to sink. But now the question remains of how
this happened in the first place.
The Philippines ferry safety record is far from astonishing. In fact, the BBC says maritime
accidents are common, partly because of " ... badly maintained passenger boats and weak enforcement
of safety regulations."
Ships are known to be overcrowded. With 7,100 islands, traveling by sea is the most common
way for people in the Philippines to travel get from place to place, which The Wall Street
Journal says increases the probability of accidents.
However, there are rules in place to keep this type of thing from happening. Specific
channels are designated for approaching and departing vessels in order to avoid accidents.
According to the Deputy Philippine Coast Guard commander, "The exact location of the collision
is covered by the traffic separation scheme. We have to establish if both are observing
proper regulations ... they have to pass through their designated lanes."
The coast guard has requested additional divers to aid the search, but says it expects the
number of fatalities is to rise.