Painful lessons

The public was as stunned as  the passengers of the MV St. Thomas Aquinas when they heard news about the passenger vessel’s mid-sea collision with Sulpicio Express Siete cargo ship some distance from Lawis Ledge, Talisay City at past 8 p.m. last Friday.

That it happened in Cebu where local government units commendably reacted swiftly and decisively in search, rescue and relief operations—this was an acid test for both Talisay City Mayor Johnny delos Reyes who was about as surprised as the rest of the populace and Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III—helped reduce what could have been a longer and larger death toll, though 56 lives lost is by no means small.

Unlike the sinking of the  2008 MV Princess of the Stars, another  Sulpicio vessel, there was no typhoon or big waves to explain the mishap.

This time plain and simple human error— and not a few say criminal negligence—caused this tragedy.

“Like any other accidents, the ship collision last Friday could have been avoided,” said Commodore William Melad, said district commander for the Philippine Coast Guard Central Viasyas in an interview.

In weeks ahead, a Marine Board Inquiry will look into claims and counterclaims that the skipper and crew of both vessels didn’t follow  rules of safe navigation.

The crucial points are the radio communication between both vessels, as the incoming and outgoing ships  approached each other, and the location of the vessels in Lawis Ledge, a chokepoint known for its shallow portions at the mouth of Cebu City harbor.

Two ships passing in the night follow a clear protocol.

“We  follow the International Regulation for Prevention of Collision which governs the movement of sea vessels. When two ships are about to meet each other on the same path, they should give way,” Melad said.

Which vessel was in the right lane?  Which vessel was signaling the other that a collision course had to be avoided early?

The lighthouse near Lawis Ledge is a beacon for seasoned and not-so-seasoned skippers that signals their ship is entering Cebu harbor and should slow down (some come to a dead stop and coast in), or is leaving Cebu harbor and should gun engines full speed ahead. A major miscommunication is likely behind the failure of one or both vessels to change course in time.

The Philippines already takes a beating in its record of lackluster if not poor maritime safety in domestic seas.   Investigators should stop at nothing but the truth behind this tragedy.

Cebu is the center of 80 percent of shipping operations in the country.  We can’t afford not to learn from painful lessons like this avoidable accident.

Most importantly, it is a telling reminder to the shipping industry of which Cebu is a hub about the long-neglected need to upgrade their services and facilities to better protect the riding public and their clients.