MV JUNE ASTER
Die letzten Häfen
Die letzten Wegpunkte
Die neuesten Nachrichten
Operations of Atienza Shipping Lines ferries suspended
On Oct 12, the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) has indefinitely suspended the operations of six vessels of the Atienza Interisland Ferries after the fire that gutted the 'June Aster' off the coast of Coron, Palawan. The order was issued to the 'Star San Carlos' (IMO: 9168128), 'September Tulips' (MMSI: 457900394), 'December Poinsettia', 'October Lavender' (IMO: 9969259), 'May Lilies' (IMO: 7900388) and 'November Cattleya' (IMO: 8804086). Dole officials had inspected the vessels on Oct 10 in Navotas. The work for Atienza Shipping Lines has been suspended. Dole instructed the company to pay the wages of all affected employees during the period covered by this WSO, the issuance of this Order having resulted from violations attributable to the employer. 63 of the 77 people killed in the fire have been identified, while eight people remained missing. The ship had 128 passengers and crew members on board, and 43 of them survived. The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) had filed a complaint of alleged falsification of public documents against the Captain Roel Sarmiento. He was found liable for discrepancies in the Master’s Declaration of Safe Departure (MDSD), which contained the vessel’s passenger and crew manifest. The MDSD declared that the vessel complied with safety regulations and had the proper placement of cargo and the correct number of passengers and crew members. The PCG initially tallied 134 occupants. This meant that six passengers listed in the ticket manifest did not board the vessel. Some passengers listed in the manifest reportedly failed to arrive or decided to take other means of transportation, before the 'June Aster' left Baseco Port in Manila on the night of Sep 9.
Cause of fire revealed
The mixture of chlorine with asphalt amid faulty ventilation ignited the fire aboard thed 'June Aster' and led to the death of 77 people, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) said on Oct 16. The BFP officer-in-charge, Chief upt. Wilberto Rico Neil Kwan Tiu, said that the large quantity of chlorine went through the vessel and its interaction with the asphalt amid the rough seas ignired the deadly blaze. Chlorine is a corrosive agent that, when mixed with asphalt, could potentially ignite. The asphalt and the calcium hypochlorite were stowed at the rear of the cargo deck, near the engine exhaust, an area exposed to hot air discharge, directly in front of the engine room and beside blocks of combustible asphalt. With the cargo and passenger vessel encountering rough seas, this caused the cargo to shift and later topple, causing containers of asphalt and calcium hypochlorite to overturn, and eventually triggered a rapid chemical reaction. What made the situation worse was that the vessel appeared to have a efective ventilation system that time. and the high temperature inside was enough to ignite a fire. The combustion produced a thick, highly toxic chemical smoke that rapidly spread through the sleeping quarters of the vessel. Since the fire broke out in the early evening while many passengers were resting in their bunks, the victims were probably suffocated by toxic fumes before realizing the ship was on fire or attempting to evacuate. The task force gathered detailed statements from survivors, crew members, and the vessel’s captain after he surfaced following a brief disappearance. Aside from 77 fatalities, 63 of whom could be identified, eight people were still missing. The ferry was originally scheduled to sail on Sep 3, but its voyage was postponed. The operator Atienza Inter-Island Ferries Inc. had attributed the delay to bad weather and low-tide conditions. However, investigators found that the vessel had been experiencing engine problems. During the four-day delay, additional cargo was loaded onto the ferry, including drums of cooking oil, blocks of asphalt and a large quantity of calcium hypochlorite. The investigation was ongoing to identify the lapses that allowed the ferry to continue its voyage despite the problems. If any government employees failed to perform their duties, specifically, the responsibility to conduct a thorough inspection before the ship set sail, they would be included in the administrative charges intended to be filed. Charges will likewise be filed against the captain, chief mate, two able-bodied seamen, 2nd chief mate, and the safety officer of the ship. Tve president and chief executive officer and operations manager of Atienza Interisland Ferries Incorporated, the owner of the 'June Aster', as well as the operations manager and supervisor of Mega Lifters Cargo Handling Corporation, were also facing charges. The cargo-handling personnel were being held accountable for the transfer of cargo containing blockages and large amounts of calcium hypochlorite from the port to the ship.
Probe into workplace safety started
The Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) started a probe into workplace safety and conditions aboard the 'June Aster' on Oct 8. The Labor Secretary Francis Tolentino chaired the Lupong Pamagawa inquiry to determine possible compliance failures that may have contributed to the disaster. The vessel, operated by the Atienza Interisland Ferries Inc., had caught fire on Sep 9, en route to Palawan from Manila. Of the 128 passengers and crew members listed in the manifest, 77 died and 43 survived. Initial reports said an explosion involving an unidentified object or equipment caused a fire that spread throughout the vessel. The cause and origin of the fire, however, have yet to be determined and remained under investigation by the Philippine Coast Guard.
News schreiben