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Dennis, aren't Romblon and Subuyan islands just off northwest Panay? Isn't Subuyan the one you can see west of Boracay?
Where are you, if you dont' mind me asking?
May God be with all the survivors out at sea.
Romblon (12°33′06″N, 122°17′14″E) is an island province of the Philippines located in the MIMAROPA region in Luzon. Its capital is the municipality also named Romblon.
Romblon consists of numerous islands sitting in the Sibuyan Sea. It lies south of Marinduque and Quezon, east of Mindoro, north of Aklan, and west of Masbate. The three major islands are Romblon Island, Tablas Island, and Sibuyan Island.
"You realize you just became a target for the internet version of the scuba police who will descry your diving practices, your gear, and your personal life. They will proceed to point out your diving faults and your faults as a person." Adurso
Damn, I hope those people are ok. One of those reports said the ferry actually sunk, anyone know how true that is? (and how deep?).
It made me think, why don't boats have some kind of airbag system around their sides? To keep them afloat should their hull rupture (I guess the designers thought there's enough safety backups with modular hull compartments? but your hear about ships sinking loads of times).
Don't know how big the bags (modular system too in case a few rupture) would have to be, but I don't know maybe it s dumb idea. Could at least buy it time though. I mean salvagers use bags to raise old ships etc intact.
__________________
I have the world's largest collection of seashells. I keep it on all the beaches of the world... perhaps you've seen it.
Currently: 4:27am Monday (PHT) - Time in Philippines
There are conflicting reports as to whether it sank completely or is still partially afloat with a possible air pocket. Initial reports stated over 700 on board but: "Sulpicio Lines, the owner of the MV Princess of Stars, revised up the number of people missing to 845 after discovering an extra 100 passengers on the ship's manifest."
"A coastguard vessel was trawling the waters around the 23,824 gross tonne ferry, which is upside down with only its bow above the waves, trying to confirm reports some passengers had made it to a small island.
"We are hoping more people will have reached the shoreline," Vice Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo, the head of the coastguard, told Reuters."
"You realize you just became a target for the internet version of the scuba police who will descry your diving practices, your gear, and your personal life. They will proceed to point out your diving faults and your faults as a person." Adurso
I just read an article that says they think they have found a few more alive maybe 20 or 30.
What a horrible thing to have a vessel sink in a storm with so many people. As we are heading into the night in US, it should have been daylight there now for a couple of hours. I think there is 12 hours dif between Eastern Standard time and the time in the Manila. Does anyone know if that is correct?
Let us hope and pray the morning light finds some angry, cold, tired, wet people on the beaches waiting for a ride home.
I just read an article that says they think they have found a few more alive maybe 20 or 30.
What a horrible thing to have a vessel sink in a storm with so many people. As we are heading into the night in US, it should have been daylight there now for a couple of hours. I think there is 12 hours dif between Eastern Standard time and the time in the Manila. Does anyone know if that is correct?
Let us hope and pray the morning light finds some angry, cold, tired, wet people on the beaches waiting for a ride home.
Yes, 12 hours. I put the Philippines time of my last post at the top of it as time is so critical on this.
This story says at least 229 dead from ferry, with over 700 missing, no word here on the new survivors: THISDAY ONLINE
"You realize you just became a target for the internet version of the scuba police who will descry your diving practices, your gear, and your personal life. They will proceed to point out your diving faults and your faults as a person." Adurso
My feelings as well. Glad you're okay Dennis and my condolences on your country's tragedies as they continue to be discovered....
Currently 11:47am Tuesday (PHT) - Time in Philippines - I hope this day brings better news. There are now over 2500 stories on the web, some grossly inaccurate, like 500 on the ferry that had over 800.
The National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) reported 57 survivors had been picked up and 20 others had died in the shipwreck.
One of the dead was recovered along with the 28 survivors who were rescued off Mulanay town in Quezon province Monday morning, said PCG’s Commodore Luis Tuason Jr. The survivors had clung to the ropes of a raft.
Another 25 survivors were rescued on Burias Island off Masbate, the NDCC said. It said 15 of the dead were found also on Burias.
PCG frogmen arrived at the Sibugay area 15 hours after Princess of the Stars sank on Saturday but did not get any response from anyone possibly trapped inside, PCG Capt. Gilbert Rueras told the Philippine Daily Inquirer (parent company of INQUIRER.net).
"We have expanded the search areas, as indicated by our recent discoveries in the areas far north. We're searching in waters between Marinduque and Quezon," said Captain Gilbert Rueras of the Philippine Coast Guard said.
"For as long as there is a small hope, there is an indication that persons are in the waters, we will continue to search," he added.
A US Navy ship, which arrived in Sibuyan at 3:30 a.m., will help in the operations on Tuesday, Golez said.
Mr Buot, 24, who works on a mango farm, jumped off the ship when it began to capsize. "I held on to my life vest very tight so I wouldn't lose it, and I did not try to swim with others because I was afraid they might cling to me and we might all drown," he said.
MANILA, Philippines—The United States Monday dispatched a navy ship and surveillance aircraft from its military command in Hawaii to assist Philippine authorities in scouring the waters off Romblon province for possible survivors from the sinking of the MV Princess of the Stars in the worst sea tragedy yet this year.
The USNS Stockham and a P-3 reconnaissance aircraft were sent to the Philippines to assist in search and rescue efforts to locate the ship passengers, according to the US Embassy.
“The United States extends its sympathy to all who have been affected by Typhoon Frank (Fengshen) and its aftermath in the Republic of the Philippines. We deeply regret the loss of life, both on land and from the sinking of the ferry,” it said in a statement released Monday.
Offering assistance for search and rescue efforts off Romblon, the embassy said the Stockham, a “maritime prepositioning ship” that carries supplies and equipment for the US Marine Corps, was to enter Philippine waters late Monday.
As part of the US military’s sealift command, it will carry helicopters expected to join aerial search and rescue efforts off Sibuyan Island. “We anticipate that the helicopters will be in position to begin operations later today,” the embassy said.
MANILA, Philippines—Maritime authorities Monday suspended the operations of all vessels of Sulpicio Lines Inc., one of the Philippines’ biggest inter-island shipping firms, whose 35-year history of ferrying passengers between islands has been marred by four sea tragedies.
The decision by the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) to ground the entire Sulpicio fleet coincided with a move in the Senate to investigate the disaster, and a call from the House of Representatives for the revocation of the licenses of shipping companies which had been repeatedly involved in major sea accidents.
"You realize you just became a target for the internet version of the scuba police who will descry your diving practices, your gear, and your personal life. They will proceed to point out your diving faults and your faults as a person." Adurso
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