Death ferry scandal

Source: Agencies  |   2008-6-29  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

THE owner of a capsized Philippines ferry in which 800 people are believed to have died was under pressure yesterday to explain how 10 tons of toxic pesticide came to be in the cargo hold.

The search for hundreds of bodies feared trapped in the ferry was halted abruptly on Friday when officials discovered the deadly cargo.

It was a grim reminder of how standards are flouted in the Philippines, an archipelago of more than 7,000 islands with a woeful maritime-safety record.

It also raised the heat on the ship's owner, Sulpicio Lines, already under fire for allowing the ferry to sail into a typhoon.

Sulpicio official Jay Tan said yesterday it was unaware the cargo, bound for a Del Monte Philippines' pineapple plantation, was toxic.

"Had we known, we would have made special arrangements," he said.

But Del Monte Philippines Inc said Sulpicio was fully aware of the nature of the cargo.

Del Monte said the 400 boxes of the pesticide endosulfan were loaded without its knowledge on to a passenger ferry.

"Upon learning that our cargo was loaded in the ill-fated Princess of the Stars, we immediately informed the Fertiliser and Pesticides Authority," the company said.

The Princess of the Stars ran aground last Saturday during a typhoon and then overturned off Sibuyan Island. It had 865 passengers and crew.