THE chief of the Maritime Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) on Thursday said the ill-fated MB Kim Nirvana-B, which left 62 people dead, was “misloaded” and not overloaded.
During the House Committee on Transportation hearing, Administrator Maximo Mejia Jr. told lawmakers the wooden-hulled ferry was not overloaded. This statement was despite the operator allowing 209 people, sacks of rice, cement and fertilizer to board the boat that has an approved capacity of only 178 passengers.
“There was no overloading in terms of the weight. But there was misloading on the part of the owner and the operator,” Mejia told lawmakers. “Even if 178 carabaos were onboard, the boat would not sink. What we consider is the comfort of passengers and if they have lifejackets.”
According to Mejia, MB Kim Nirvana-B’s capacity was less than 50 tons, far below its capacity of 100 tons.
“We clarify that the accident was not caused by the excess number of passengers but the negligent operations of the captain,” Mejia added.
However, Mejia said there is still a clear violation on the part of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG)
for allowing the MB KimNirvana-B to sail despite having excess passengers.
He said the boarding team tasked to conduct the predeparture inspection should not have allowed the voyage of the passenger vessel since, aside from the obvious overloading, there was not enough safety equipment, particularly life vests, inside the vessel.
The 33-ton wooden-hulled ferry MB Kim Nirvana-B was on a trip to Camotes Island when it capsized 200 meters from port on July 2.
Mejia said his agency is currently reviewing Memorandum Circular 190 that the Marina issued in 2003 and ordered the gradual phase out of wooden-hulled boats.
According to Mejia, the Marina was instructed by the Department of Transportation and Communications to “defer” the implementation of the circular as it would be “uneconomical and disruptive.”
“But this particular [MB Nirvana] incident is going to strengthen our basis [to push for the circular’s enforcement],” Mejia said.
(With additional reporting by Pia Quinto)