‘We tried to contact each other’

Both captains of the ill-fated passenger vessel MV St. Thomas Aquinas and MV Sulpicio Express 7 claimed they tried to contact each other before their ships collided off Lawis Ledge, Talisay City last Friday evening.

In his marine protest filed with the Philippine Coast Guard, Capt. Rolito Gilo of the M/V Sulpicio Express 7 said his vessel was headed straight when he saw the MV St. Thomas Aquinas on the left side approaching the Lawis Ledge lighthouse.

“I instructed to call the inbound vessel, stating for port to port passage in accordance with the Transportation Separation Scheme (TSS). There was no response from sighted inbound vessel. I instructed to call the inbound vessel again, and still there was no response from the other inbound vessel,” Gilo said.

On seeing the MV St Thomas Aquinas maneuvering towards the right, Gilo said he ordered the crew to change course towards the right when the passenger vessel suddenly turned left, resulting in the collision.

“A minute after the second call, (I) sighted the red light (left side) of the inbound vessel indicating its passage as port-to-port. The inbound vessel suddenly exhibited green light (right side). Impact between our vessel and the other vessel occurred,” Gilo said.

For his part Capt. Reynan Bermejo, ship captain of the MV St. Thomas Aquinas, stated in his marine protest that he tried several times to contact the cargo vessel to no avail.

“Despite several attempts on our part to call her attention that she was not following the traffic separation scheme she did not alter course to vacate the inbound lane which created the collision,” Bermejo said.

Shallow water

Bermejo said he changed course to the left side upon seeing the shallow waters on his right side and the cargo vessel occupying the inbound lane in order to avoid the collision.

He said the cargo vessel turned right just as the passenger vessel turned left.

Commo. William Melad, Central Visayas district commander of the Philippine Coast Guard earlier said the exchange of communication of both ship captains prior to the collision will be part of the investigation.

He also said two ships meeting in the same lane should swerve a little into their right side before heading in a straight direction in order to maintain  safe distance from each other. /Joy Cherry S. Quito, Reporter