(Photo courtesy of Miquicar Photo Studio)
At least 35 passengers drowned and 20 others remained missing among 189 passengers aboard the MB Nirvana ferry when it capsized on Thursday midday allegedly due to huge waves and a sharp turn.
Prior the incident, crewmen of the ferry informed passengers of the big waves and instructed them to wear life jackets. The vessel was bound to Cebu province from Ormoc City.
About a kilometer off its port, the ferry overturned within seconds purportedly because of huge waves and a sharp turn. Fortunately, the Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine National Police (PNP), Philippine Armed Forces, among others, were able to immediately respond and rescue 134 passengers.
But as of posting, 20 passengers remained missing.
Mary Jane Drake, one of the passengers, recalled how the people panicked and screamed when the motorboat capsized.
“No one was able to jump out because the boat overturned very swiftly. There was no time to jump,” Drake said in a Philippine Daily Inquirer report.
Lawrence, Drake’s husband, tried to prevent the ferry from turning by running to one side of the boat but his attempt was futile.
“I jumped out of my seat and ran to the front as far as I could, and tried to lean over. I am a big guy, and tried to push the boat back over but it was way too late,” he said in the same report.
William Donaire, also one of the passengers, did not wear his life jacket as he reasoned that there was no typhoon that day. He survived but sustained wounds in his arms and hands.
“I regretted not wearing a life jacket. I should have listened to the announcement,” Donaire said, recalling how he fervently prayed as he held on the hull of the boat with no life jacket to keep him afloat.
Together with the 52-year-old passenger was his sister Wilma Bisto and his brother-in-law Luis. His sister survived while his brother-in-law remained missing.
People at the port clearly saw the incident and witnessed the passengers jumping off the ferry.
“It happened so fast. When the vessel left the port, it turned [to the right] but it was done too fast and it was hit by big waves. The vessel then capsized,” Poro Municipal Councilor Augusto Zurita said.
As of posting, rescue operations were being continued; 53 of the 134 survivors were already brought to hospitals while 20 others were still being searched upon.