The MV Doña Paz was a Philippine-registered passenger ferry that sank after colliding with the MT Vector on December 20, 1987. With a death toll of at least 4,375 people, the collision resulted in the deadliest ferry disaster in history and is widely cited as the worst ever peace-time maritime disaster.
On 20 December 1987, at 0630H, Philippine Standard Time, the Doña Paz disembarked from Tacloban City, Leyte for the Philippine capital of Manila, with a stopover at Catbalogan City, Samar. The vessel was due in Manila at 0400H the following day, and it last made radio contact at around 2000H. At around 2230H, Philippine Standard Time, the ferry was situated at Dumali Point, along the Tablas Strait, near Marinduque. A survivor later said that the weather at sea that night was clear but the sea was choppy. As most of the passengers were asleep, the Dona Paz collided with the MT Vector, an oil tanker en route from Bataan to Masbate. The Vector was carrying 8,800 barrels of gasoline and other petroleum products owned by Caltex Philippines.
Upon the collision, the Vector’s cargo ignited and caused a fire that spread onto the Doña Paz. Survivors recalled sensing the crash and an explosion, causing panic on the vessel. One of them, Paquito Osabel, recounted that the flames spread rapidly throughout the ship, and that the sea itself was on fire. Another survivor claimed that the lights onboard had gone out, that there were no life vests on the Doña Paz, and that none of the crew was giving any orders. It was later said that the life jacket lockers had been locked.[8] The survivors were forced to jump off the ship and swim among charred bodies. The Doña Paz sank within two hours of the collision, while the Vector sank within four hours. Both ships sank in about 545 meters of water in the shark-infested Tablas Strait.
It reportedly took eight hours before Philippine maritime authorities learned of the accident, and another eight hours to organize search and rescue operations.
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