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The Philippine ferry disaster once again underlines the dangers of travelling by sea during the typhoon season. In the past there were repeated seasonal reports about ferries capsizing for one reason or another, usually due to overloading by more than double the regulated occupancy rate.
This, combined with turbulent weather, was often a disaster just waiting to happen, and happen it usually did, frequently out of reach of shore and quick rescue. Because of the number of lives lost due to flouting convention, stricter rules were brought in to ensure ferry operators abided by the loading laws.
The ferry sinking on Saturday was not due to over-capacity, as it was well within its maximum, but apparently due to adverse weather conditions.
Being proposed now, at the instigation of President Gloria Arroyo, is a new law that stipulates that no vessel shall leave port without the clearance of the coast guard and meteorological office. The exact terminology has yet to be decided.
However, as the inquiry into Saturday's ferry disaster has already revealed, a new law issued in 1997 was not known to the owners and they may have flouted the law about telegraphic and emergency procedures. Hopefully the inquiry will reveal all and appropriate laws will be enforced to stop the awful waste of life.
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