3 killed, 12 wounded in ferry explosion in Cebu

By Ronron
May 16, 2007

Three persons were killed while 12 others were wounded when an explosion occurred inside a passenger ship Tuesday night in Cebu province.

A Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) report said M/V Butuan Bay-1, owned and operated by Gothong Lines, had just left the port of Cebu for Ozamis City and Iligan City in northern Mindanao when an explosion was heard inside its engine room past 7:30 pm.

Authorities quickly dismissed the possibility that the blast was terror-related, saying it was purely mechanical in nature, although Marine investigators have yet to ascertain what caused it.

“It’s not related in any manner to terrorism. It’s a mechanical trouble,” Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Oscar Calderon told reporters in Camp Crame on Wednesday.

According to the PCG report, the M/V Butuan Bay-1 was in the vicinity of Piers 4 and 5 in Cebu City, having just left the port past 7am, when its main engine exploded for still unknown reasons.

Prior to the explosion, a thick black smoke was reportedly observed coming from the smokestack of the vessel, prompting the ship master, Captain Eugenio Manubag, Jr., to command stop all engines.

“All of a sudden, an explosion occurred at the main engine room that caused a total power cut-off,” the report said.

Killed in the blast were 2nd Engineer Jimmy Manreal, Apprentice Engineer Clarito Tagalog, and on-the-job trainee (OJT) Jefferson Esguerra.

Those injured, on the other hand, were identified as Wencell Claro, 21, resident of Pagadian City; Queenie Bacondador, 21, resident of Cebu City; Joelito Malinao, 20, native of Mindanao; Aiza Defamente, 17, native of Mindanao; Marichel Caballero, 19, native of Mindanao; Daniel Francisco, 22, an OJT at the engine room; Elmer Sabog, crew; German Monares, crew; Nelfa Suligas, 67; Rogerio Suligas, 50; Lumina Molina, 67; and, Rosa Molina, 50.

They are being treated separately at Cebu City Medical Center, Chong Hua Hospital, and Cebu Doctors Hospital, all in Cebu City.

The PCG report said the vessel was carrying a total of 513 passengers and 53 crew members.

All passengers were offloaded at around 11:05 pm after the vessel was towed back to Pier 7 in Cebu City and subsequently checked by personnel of the PCG detachment in the neighboring Mandaue City.

The safe passengers were brought to Mandaue Sports Complex and Cebu Ports Authority terminal for temporary shelter, the PCG report said.

The cause of the incident is the subject of an ongoing investigation by PCG Central and Eastern Visayas District./DMS