2008-11-05 14:19:43 - LEGAZPI CITY. Masbate sea tragedy death toll rises to 42; BMI to conduct probe

By Leonard D. Acosta

The death toll from MV Don Dexter that capsized on Tuesday off Dimasalang town in Masbate rose to 42, with 98 people rescued while nine are still missing as of the latest count, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) in Bicol reported.

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The OCD report said two more bodies were fished out on Wednesday, bringing the current casualty

count to 42. The bodies recovered were brought to Dimasalang town plaza for identification while the survivors were rushed to the St. Joseph Medical Hospital in Dimasalang town.

The OCD said majority of the survivors were already sent home after they were treated with minor injuries.

For its part, the Board of Marine Inquiry (BMI) said they will investigate the MV Don Dexter sea tragedy.

The BMI said it would look into possible violation of sea safety and worthiness by the operator of the sea vessel, amid the reported overloading, absence of life jackets and the non-securing of clearance to navigate from the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).

Raffy Alejandro, OCD regional director, said the BMI would investigate why 149 passengers were recovered when 119 names of passengers were listed in the manifest. Records from authorities indicated that the vessel is only allowed to carry a maximum of 100 passengers as authorized by the Passenger Ship Safety Certificate.

Authorities will also check the registration records and ownership of the sea vessel as it appears that the vessel has two alleged owners - Amiel Tamayo and Edward Yap, both from Dimasalang, Masbate.

However, records from the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) Bicol indicated that the motorized wooden hull passenger boat is owned by Tamayo.

The MV Don Dexter, mastered by boat captain Dante Bombales, sailed the Dimasalang port at about 2:00 pm Tuesday bound for Bulan, Sorsogon with 149 passengers.

Bombales, in his ship declaration of protest, said they were cruising the waters off Magcaragit, Dimasalang on a very calm sea and sunny afternoon but upon reaching the seawaters of the Island of Magcaragit, big waves spawned by a tornado hit the right side of the sea vessel, causing panic among the passengers.

He said that despite efforts to calm them, the passengers transferred to the left side of the boat, causing the vessel to lift on this side and eventually overturned, trapping the passengers inside.

Records showed that the boat was insured for P21.2 million with the Philippine Insurance Corp., which covers the insurance benefits of 100 paying passengers and six crew members in case of accidental death and dismemberment.