9 casualties, 926 survivors and 63 still missing as SuperFerry sink off Zamboanga Peninsula
As of yesterday at 11 pm, there were already 9 people found dead, 926 survived, and 63 still went missing of the ill-fated ship that was sank on Sunday morning after tilting for several hours in Siocon Bay near the Zamboanga Peninsula.
In an initial investigation, Coast Guard chief Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo said that the ship left General Santos City at 8:45 a.m. Saturday and was heading for Iloilo when it began having problems with its generator. The SuperFerry 9′s generator fluctuated several times. Authorities said they would investigate the cause of the sinking as soon as search and rescue operations are over.
The Coast Guard report said SuperFerry 9 listed to approximately 35 degrees towards her starboard side until she reportedly sank at vicinity 9.5 nautical miles west of Banga Point in Siocon, Zamboanga del Norte. However, it was not yet clear what caused the ship to tilt and on what side it was tilting.
The latter was carrying 200,000 liters of industrial fuel oil, 80,000 liters automotive diesel oil, and 10,000 liters lube oil when it departed from Manila for Iloilo and General Santos City.
Philippine Coast Guard sent search-and-rescue vessels BRP Batangas from Cebu, and BRP Corregidor from Palawan to help in search-and-rescue work. Aboitiz company which owns the SuperFerry, also sent their another ship “Myriad” to the area to help in rescue operations. MV Ocean Integrity was incidentally also there to give help.
Aside from Navy ships, three military aircraft were also deployed to scour the seas, according to Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, who also heads the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC). American troops whose currently training counter-terrorism for Philippine soldiers in Mindanao likewise deployed a civilian helicopter and five boats, some carrying paramedics, to help, US Col. William Coultrup said.
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