Aboitiz's SuperFerry 9
More than 900 passengers survived, 2 missing and 9 confirmed dead as MV SuperFerry 9 of Aboitiz Shipping sank off coast of Zamboanga del Norte earlier this morning of September 06, 2009. The ship was sailing from General Santos City in Mindanao to Iloilo City when the ship was reported to have listed towards the right side and sank in open waters at around 2 in the morning.
SuperFerry 9 listing to it's right side off coast of Zamboanga Peninsula, Philippines
As of the latest updates, nine are confirmed dead and 2 are still missing
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"Asia's Titanic" on National Geographic Channel
It was five days before Christmas in 1987 in a calm night in the Philippines MV Doña Paz of Sulpicio Lines set sail from Tacloban in Leyte to Manila. It was another Christmas vacation ferry trip when all of a sudden, it collided with an oil tanker off-coast of Mindoro, creating a fireball and inferno that claimed almost five thousand souls and only twenty four remain. A Christmas to remember…and claimed the title at the Guinness World Record as “The Worst Peace-time Maritime Disaster.” It was indeed Asia’s answer to the infamous Titanic. …continue reading
The people of Mactan Island has long been commuting to and fro mainland Cebu by the use of ferries. Of course, Mactan is separated by the narrow Opon Channel which makes Cebu as one of the best harbours in the country. Now, because of the construction of a US air base (which will be later Mactan International Airport) and lack of land area in urban Cebu, former president Marcos constructed the old Mactan-Mandaue Bridge which finally connected Mactan to Cebu mainland without using ferries.
Today, most of the people cross the channel by the two bridges spanning between the two islands, but some Oponghons (residents of LapuLapu City or Mactan Island) would prefer to ride the Mactan-Cebu Ferry which is more convenient for them. Well, it is really convenient for the Cebuanos and local residents. They would not need to brave the increasingly jammed roads in Mandaue and Cebu City during rush hours and yet they can cruise all the way to home or work. That’s what you call “urban island living” indeed! The terminals are found at Muelle Osmena, Mactan (near the Virgen de la Regla Church, downtown LapuLapu City) and Pier 3 in downtown Cebu City. They are open from 5:30 AM all the way to 7:00PM.
Now, you don’t have to worry because its not an outrigger boat or banca. All of them are diesel powered all-metal ferry boats. …continue reading
