Ferry owner sues weather bureau

2008-07-01 11:12

Manila - The owner of a passenger ferry that capsized during a typhoon in the Philippines has sued the country's weather bureau for allegedly giving a wrong forecast that led to the sinking of the ship carrying more than 800 people, court records showed on Tuesday.

Sulpicio Lines Inc, owner of the sunken MV Princess of the Stars, filed a $101 137 civil suit against the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) before a Manila court on Monday.

It was the first time that Pagasa was sued over its weather forecasts, according to Department of Science and Technology Undersecretary Graciano Yumul.

The Princess of the Stars capsized on June 21 off Sibuyan Island, 300km south of Manila, when it sailed straight into the path of Typhoon Fengshen.

The Coast Guard has confirmed that 250 people aboard the ferry died in the sinking, while 56 survived. More than 500 are still missing and presumed dead.

In the complaint, Sulpicio Lines accused Pagasa of "gross incompetence and irresponsibility" for giving an inaccurate forecast of Typhoon Fengshen's direction on the evening of June 20, when the Princess of the Stars left Manila for a 22-hour journey.

It noted that Pagasa initially forecasted Fengshen to be moving north-west, which would have placed the typhoon away from the route of the Princess of the Stars. But the typhoon changed course and moved west straight into the ferry's route.

Sulpicio Lines alleged that Pagasa failed to immediately inform maritime authorities and shipping companies of the change.

"Had this been done, the vessel (Princess of the Stars) could have sought shelter," the shipping company said in its complaint.

Pagasa maintained that it was not negligent in giving warnings to the public, maritime authorities and other officials about Fengshen, but declined to directly answer Sulpicio Lines' allegations on orders of government lawyers.

"All we can say is that Pagasa was not remiss in its duty of giving warnings, not only to ships but to the public and not only in the case of Fengshen but in other cyclones," said Nathaniel Cruz, Pagasa's chief weather forecaster.

Aside from the ferry sinking, Fengshen caused landslides, massive floodings and other accidents that killed 540 people in the Philippines, with 41 still missing.

Authorities estimated the cost of Fengshen's damages to nearly $10bn. - Sapa-dpa

- SAPA