The MV Doña Paz: The Disaster Deadlier than Titanic
PRELUDE TO THE TRAGEDY
December 20, 1987, the MV Doña Paz, a passenger ferry operated by Sulpicio Lines, was making its way through the Tablas Strait in the Philippines. The vessel was en route for the capital city of Manila coming from the island of Tacloban, stopping over at Catbalogan, Samar and carrying a large number of passengers; most of whom were heading home for the Christmas holidays. With Captain Eusebio Nazareno at the helm, the vessel was due to Manila at 0400 Hours (4 am) the next day.
The Doña Paz, originally built as a Japanese oil tanker in 1963 by Onomichi Zosen, had a passenger capacity of just 608. It was originally named Himeyuru Maru before being sold and converted into a passenger ferry to the Sulpicio Lines. From the start, the vessel was notorious for its poor safety standards. It was licensed to carry only 1,518 passengers, but during this ill-fated voyage, it was estimated to be carrying around 4,386 people. Overcrowding was a chronic issue for Sulpicio Lines, and it played a significant role in the tragedy that unfolded.
THE FATEFUL NIGHT
At about 2230 Hours (10:30 pm) the ferry was at Dumali Point, along the Tablas Strait near Marinduque. Known for its strong currents and congested shipping lanes, the ferry was navigating through a narrow and treacherous body of water. The weather that night was clear, but the sea nevertheless was not. The waves were quite turbulent and choppy.
Suddenly, tragedy struck when the Doña Paz collided with an oil tanker that was carrying a cargo of gasoline and other petroleum products, the MT Vector. The Vector was traveling from Bataan to Masbate. The initial collision sparked a massive fireball from the 1,148 short tons of gasoline and petroleum products (mostly owned by Caltex Philippines). The inferno quickly spreads to the stricken Doña Paz—most of its passengers who were then asleep has been awoken by a crash. Their once peaceful vessel had transformed into a nightmarish scene, consumed by flames as it floated amidst a literal sea of fire due to the gasoline, spilling into the waters from the Vector.
Survivors such as Philippine Constabulary (Predecessor of the now called Philippine National Police) Corporal Luthgardo Niedo described in an interview, the harrowing scene he had witnessed aboard the tragic ferry.
“the lights aboard had gone out minutes after the collision, there were not any life vests to be found on Doña Paz, and the crewmen were running around in panic with the other passengers, and none of the crew gave any orders or made any attempt to organize the passengers” (“Tanker Rams Ferry, 1,500 Feared Dead”. Philippine Daily Inquirer. December 22, 1987).
Moreover, due to the chaos, none of the crew realized that the life jackets that could’ve saved countless of lives were safely tucked in the lockers of the ship — none bothered to remember as the flames devoured both ships (Det Norske Veritas. “Annex 1: Passenger Vessel Evacuation Descriptions” (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on September 30, 2018. Retrieved December 13, 2008).
The Doña Paz sank within just two hours, while the Vector in about four. Officers and the captain of a passing inter-island ship, MS Don Claudio, witnessed the explosion of the two ships. After an hour, they found the survivors of Doña Paz, who were forced to jump in the shark-infested waters of Tablas Strait. The crew of Don Claudio threw nets for the survivors to climb onto, most of which were simply clinging on to their luggage as an improvised flotation device (Coronel, Sheila (December 22, 1987). “Searchers Find No Trace of 1,500 From 2 Ships Sunk in Philippines”. The New York Times. Retrieved January 26, 2023).
RESCUE AND AFTERMATH
A mere 26 survivors were plucked from the water’s treacherous grasp: 24 brave souls emerged from the remnants of the ill-fated Doña Paz, while an additional 2 survivors miraculously clung to life amidst the remnants of the Vector Tanker, originally manned by a crew of 13. Tragically, every single crew member aboard the Doña Paz succumbed to the merciless disaster.
Dedicated doctors and nurses valiantly attended to the survivors, offering solace and treatment for their searing burns. These resilient individuals, forced to swim amidst the hauntingly charred remains of their loved ones, found themselves navigating an indescribable realm of sorrow and devastation. According to official reports, it took the Philippine Maritime Authorities eight whole hours before hearing about the incident, and another eight hours to initiate search-and-rescue missions.
Often relegated to the annals of forgotten history, an unnamed four-year-old boy emerged as an emblem of hope amidst the wreckage, miraculously discovered adrift on a humble piece of lumber two days following the catastrophic event. This resilient young child came to be recognized as the youngest survivor of the Doña Paz Tragedy — a poignant reminder of the indomitable human spirit. The somber toll of the disaster was unfathomable, with a staggering 4,385 lives lost in the sinking. Only a mere 26 souls managed to escape the clutches of fate, rendering it the most catastrophic ship sinking in the records of peacetime maritime history.
THE INVESTIGATION
Following the initial investigation carried out by the Philippine Coastguard, it was revealed that only but one apprentice member of the Doña Paz crew was present at the bridge when the collision occurred (“Coast Guard Says: Dona Paz Officers Not at Their Posts”. Philippine Daily Inquirer. December 25, 1987).
According to a newspaper clipping, it became evident that the key officers and crew members responsible for the safety of the ill-fated Doña Paz were conspicuously absent from the bridge on that fateful night. Instead, most of them were found in the Recreations Room, watching TV, sipping on beers, and engrossed in card games. This theory gained further credence when Luthgardo Niedo, a constabulary trooper, testified that a fellow officer informed him of boisterous music and laughter emanating from the bridge.
In response to the disaster, the Coalition of Samar and Leyte Organizations (CSLO) assembled an investigative team comprising professionals and police personnel from the provinces of Leyte and Samar. These dedicated volunteers diligently sought to gather pertinent information regarding the ship’s journey and its passengers. Among the crucial documents they sought were duplicate tickets issued to the passengers, providing crucial insights into the tragic event (“Group To Gather Own Evidence On Collision”. Manila Standard. December 31, 1987. Retrieved April 15, 2023).
This organization was officially recognized by the Philippine Government to provide assistance to the families and relatives of the victims (Vergara, Ricky B. (January 28, 1988). “Dona Paz Relatives Assail Gov’t, Ship Firm Over Aid”. Manila Standard. Retrieved April 15, 2023).
In the initial announcement from Sulpicio Lines, the official passenger manifest of the Doña Paz listed 1,493 passengers and 59 crew members. According to the company, the ferry had a capacity to accommodate 1,424 passengers. However, a revised manifest issued on December 23, 1987, unveiled an updated count of 1,583 passengers and 58 crew members aboard the Doña Paz. Notably, 675 individuals boarded the vessel in Tacloban, while an additional 908 embarked in Catbalogan.
However, an anonymous official of Sulpicio Lines told UPI (United Press International) that, since it was the Christmas season, tickets were usually purchased illegally aboard the ship at a cheaper rate, and those passengers were not listed on the manifest. The same official added that holders of complimentary tickets and non-paying children younger than the age of four were not listed on the manifest (Acosta, Omar; Veridiano, Dave & Ronquillo, Marlen (December 23, 1987). “Doña Paz Overloaded; Inquiry Set”. Philippine Daily Inquirer).
On December 28, 1987, Northern Samar Representative Raul Daza made a startling claim regarding the tragic incident involving the Doña Paz. He asserted that a minimum of 2,000 passengers, unaccounted for in the ship’s manifest, had been aboard the ill-fated vessel. This estimation was based on a comprehensive list of names provided by concerned relatives and friends of the missing individuals, which had been compiled by local radio and television stations in Tacloban.
The Philippine Daily Inquirer further shed light on this distressing revelation by publishing the names of these over 2,000 missing passengers. Spanning pages 29 to 31 of their December 29, 1987 edition. Among the devastating toll, it was reported that at least 79 public school teachers met a tragic fate in the collision. The somber confirmation came from Lynette Ordoñez, whose account was documented in the January 10, 1988 edition of the Manila Standard, published by Standard Publications, Inc.
THE DEATH TOLL
In January 1999, a report from a presidential task force provided a sobering estimate based on court records and over 4,100 settlement claims. According to their findings, it was determined that there were approximately 4,342 passengers aboard the Doña Paz. When subtracting the 26 passengers who miraculously survived the tragedy and adding the 58 crew members, the tally of on-board fatalities reached 4,374. Furthermore, the inclusion of the 11 deceased crew members from the Vector raised the total count to 4,385 — a staggering figure that exceeded the vessel’s design load nearly threefold.
TODAY
The wreck of the Doña Paz was finally located on April of 2019 by RV Petrel. Video footage published on December of that year reveals the ill-fated vessel laying upright, at a depth of 1,600 feet (500 mt). The MT Vector was soon located 7,200 feet away (2,200 mt). Both vessel wreckage seem to be in good condition.
