A passenger ferry, Weesam Express 8, sank while docked at the port of Zamboanga, Philippines, early on October 7 amid rough weather conditions. All crew members escaped safely, and authorities have reported no pollution so far, Cebu daily news reported.
According to the ferry’s captain, the crew detected seawater entering the engine room around 3 a.m. and attempted to pump it out. However, the inflow – believed to have come through a hole or structural damage in the engine room – was too strong, and their efforts failed. Despite the assistance of a tugboat, the vessel gradually listed to starboard and sank around 5:20 a.m.
The Weesam Express 8 was scheduled to depart for Isabela City in Basilan at 6:45 a.m. when the accident occurred. The Philippine Coast Guard responded promptly, surrounding the site with oil booms as a precaution against potential leakage.
The captain suggested that wear and tear may have contributed to the failure and noted that the incident could have been avoided if the vessel’s mechanical issues had been reported earlier. An investigation is underway to determine the exact cause of the flooding.
