This is a list of notable maritime disasters in the Philippines. This includes both freshwater and seawater incidents. Events must include at least five deaths.
| Maritime Vessel | Shipping line | Date | Deaths | Missing | Survivors | Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SS Corregidor | Compania Maritima | 17 December 1941 | 900-1,200[1] | 282 | The ferry was sailing to the Visayas and was carrying around 1200-1500 passengers, mostly refugees fleeing the bombing of Manila by the Japanese during the Second World War, when it struck a mine off Corregidor Island and sank in five minutes. | ||
| Baby Princess | 12 June 1970 | 22 | 22 | The fishing boat capsized in a violent storm 300 miles southwest of Manila. The dead were devoured by sharks.[2] | |||
| MV Pilar II | Rio y Compana | 19 August 1959 | 89 | Unknown | Unknown | An overloaded inter-island cargo vessel which sank during strong waves off Cabuli Point, El Nido, Palawan.[3] | |
| Unnamed boat | 29 August 1976 | 19 | A boat capsized in the Davao River.[4] | ||||
| MV Don Juan | Negros Navigation | 22 April 1980 | 176[5] [6] | 115 | 745 | MV Don Juan was a luxury liner bound for Bacolod. At 10:30 p.m. (PST), it collided with an oil tanker, MT Tacloban, off Tablas Strait in Mindoro.[7] 15 minutes later, the vessel sank to a depth of 1,800 feet.[8] The vessel was carrying 1,004 passengers, but it was only cleared to carry 864 persons – including its crew.[9] | |
| BRP Datu Kalantiaw | Philippine Navy | 21 September 1981 | 79 | 0 | 18 | The and flagship of the Navy ran aground off the coast of Calayan, Cagayan during Typhoon Rubing (Clara).[10] | |
| Coral Island | Unknown | 25 July 1982 | 21 | unknown | 74 | The tourist ship caught fire off Manila Bay after an engine exploded on a trial run. The ship was only carrying crew members at the time.[11] [12] | |
| MV Doña Cassandra | 21 November 1983[13] | 167 | Capsized off the coast of Surigao del Norte after being battered by strong gusts caused by Typhoon Warling (Orchid). Historically notable for the death of the Cassandra Martyrs of Charity.[14] [15] [16] | ||||
| MV Doña Josefina | 24 April 1986 | 34 | 130+ | 260 | The inter-island ferry sank off the coast of Isabel, Leyte on its way from Cebu to Manila.[17] | ||
MV Doña Paz | Sulpicio Lines | 20 December 1987 | 4,341[18] | 25[19] [20] | MV Doña Paz left from Tacloban City, Leyte, for the City of Manila, with a stopover at Catbalogan, Samar. At 10:30 p.m. (PST), the passenger vessel collided with a motor tanker, MT Vector, near Dumali Point between the provinces of Marinduque and Oriental Mindoro.[21] The vessel's manifest only listed 1,493 passengers and a 53-member crew, but survivors claimed that the vessel was carrying more than 4,000 passengers. The incident was the worst peacetime disaster and the worst in the 20th century, and the vessel was even named the Asia's Titanic.[22] | ||
| MT Vector | Vector Shipping | 11 | 0 | 2 | |||
| MV Doña Marilyn | Sulpicio Lines | 24 October 1988 | 389 | 2 | 197 | While sailing from Manila to Tacloban City, the vessel was caught up in Typhoon Unsang and sank.[23] It was the sister ship of MV Doña Paz. | |
| MB Jem II | 3 January 1989[24] | 16 | 45 | 113 | The motor boat left Looc, Romblon and headed for Malay, Aklan with 174 passengers on board, mostly students. As it only had a 31-passenger capacity, the overloaded boat sank off of Aguho Point, Tablas Island in strong waves. | ||
| Bocaue Pagoda tragedy | 2 July 1993 | 226-279 | Unknown | Unknown | The pagoda, which was used for the Bocaue River Festival in Bocaue, Bulacan was estimated to carrying 800 to 1000 devotees. At 8:15 p.m, the pagoda sank in the middle of the Bocaue River.[25] According to witnesses many of the passengers moved to one side of the barge after a firecracker flew towards it. The concentrated weight of the people on board tilted the barge, causing the structure to collapse and sink. It is believed that some of the fatalities were electrocuted from the equipment on board. | ||
| Unnamed boat | Unknown | 24 October 1993 | 11 | 1 | 5 | An boat travelling from Talim Island in Laguna de Bay to mainland Cardona, Rizal capsized after strong waves generated by a passing motorboat caused passengers to panic and move to one side of the vessel.[26] | |
| MV Cebu City | William Lines | 2 December 1994 | 73 | 41 | 525 | Collided with Singaporean container vessel, MV Kota Suria, off Manila Bay.[27] The container ship only had a dent in its bow.[28] Sister ship to MV Don Juan. | |
| MV Kota Suria | Pacific Int’l Line Ltd. | 0 | 0 | ||||
| MV Viva Antipolo VII | Viva Shipping Inc. | 16 May 1995 | 62 | 10 | 142 | Caught fire and sank within the vicinity of Dalahican Fish Port, Lucena.[29] | |
| MV Kimelody Cristy | Moreta Shipping Lines | 13 December 1995 | 24 | 13 | 100 | At 2:00 a.m. (PST), caught fire and sank off Fortune Island, Nasugbu, Batangas.[30] | |
| ML Gretchen I | Noe and Clarita Quiamco | 18 February 1996 | 51 | 145 | Sank after being battered by strong winds near Cadiz, Negros Occidental. The old wooden ferry, according to the investigation, was not seaworthy and was carrying more than its allowed capacity. It was also eight hours late to dock in the Port of Cadiz.[31] The Philippine Coast Guard failed to respond to the incident since the ferry had no radio on board.[32] | ||
| MV Kalibo Star | K&T Shipping Company | 15 August 1997 | 12 | 32 | 88 | An inter-island ferry travelling from Cebu to Tacloban that capsized during strong waves between Maripipi and Kawayan, Biliran.[33] | |
| MB King Roger | Landmark Travel Agency | 15 August 1997 | 8 | 0 | 35 | A double-decker sightseeing vessel carrying foreign tourists which sank during stormy weather 400 meters from the marina of the Manila Yacht Club in Manila Bay. Authorities blamed overloading for the disaster, which killed seven Hong Kong nationals and one Japanese.[34] | |
MV Princess of the Orient | Sulpicio Lines | 18 September 1998 | 70 | 80 | 355 | The 13,935-ton, 195m (640feet) long vessel sailed from Manila to Cebu during a typhoon and capsized at 12:55 p.m. (PST) near Fortune Island in Batangas.[35] | |
| Lumban float sinking | 19 January 1999 | 13 | During a fluvial procession in Lumban, Laguna, a float hit an electric cable which later fell, causing devotees aboard to get either electrocuted or drowned as they jumped into the river.[36] [37] | ||||
| MV Asia South Korea | Trans-Asia Shipping Lines | 23 December 1999 | 58 | 0 | 699 | The vessel was en route to Iloilo City from Cebu City when it hit rock formations off Bantayan Island. The collision created a hole in its hull causing its sinking.[38] |
| Maritime Vessel | Shipping line | Date | Deaths | Missing | Survivors | Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M/V Our Lady of Mediatrix | 25 February 2000 | 41 | 0 | 100+ | A large incendiary bomb believed to have been planted by Moro separatists exploded aboard three buses on the ferry.[39] as it crossed Panguil Bay to Ozamiz.[40] The vessel did not sink and later returned to service following repairs. | ||
| ML Annahada | 12 April 2000 | 69 | 100+ | The unlicensed, overloaded wooden ferryboat heading for Tawi-Tawi and Malaysia capsized at sea after leaving the port of Jolo, Sulu.[41] [42] | |||
| MV Maria Carmela | Montenegro Shipping Lines | 11 April 2002 | 39 | 6 | 371 | Fire broke out in the cargo hold of the vessel around 7:30 a.m. (PST).[43] The vessel burned for three days until it sank in Pagbilao Island, Quezon.[44] | |
| MV San Nicolas | San Nicholas Shipping Lines | 25 May 2003 | 43 | 21 | 182 | The collision happened at 11:45 a.m. (PST) near Limobones Point, Corregidor. MV San Nicholas was heading for Manila, while Superferry 12 was sailing for Cebu.[45] | |
| MV SuperFerry 12 | 0 | 0 | 1,700[46] | The ferry suffered minor damage, was repaired and returned into service. However, it later caught fire at Cebu in March 2006.[47] but was repaired and continued in service until 2021. | |||
| MV SuperFerry 14 | WG&A | 27 February 2004 | 94 | 24 | 781 | The ferry sailed out of Manila for Cagayan de Oro via Bacolod and Iloilo City with 899 recorded passengers and crew aboard.[48] An hour after its 11 p.m. sailing, just off Corregidor Island, a television set containing a 3.6-kilogram (8-pound) TNT bomb had been placed on board in the lower, more crowded decks by a member of the Abu Sayyaf Group detonated.[49] The explosion tore through the vessel, starting a fire that engulfed the ship, which eventually sank.[50] It was the Philippines' deadliest terrorist attack and the world's deadliest terrorist attack at sea.[51] | |
MV Princess of the Stars | Sulpicio Lines | 21 June 2008 | 437 | 605 | 32 | MV Princess of the Stars capsized off the coast of San Fernando, Romblon at the height of Typhoon Frank. The ferry left Manila en route to Cebu City and was permitted to sail because the vessel was large enough to stay afloat in the typhoon's periphery. However, Frank unexpectedly changed course, placing the ferry closer to the storm.[52] According to survivors the ship ran into rough seas and capsized off the coast of Romblon.[53] | |
| MB Don Dexter | 4 November 2008 | 42 | 10 | 105 | Motor banca capsized near Macaraguit Island, Dimasalang, Masbate after its outrigger broke. | ||
| MB Maejan | 14 December 2008 | 47 | 30 | 45 | Motor banca capsized near the vicinity of Aparri, Cagayan after its outrigger broke. The boat was carrying passengers in excess of its allowed capacity from Calayan Island to Aparri, and bad weather conditions contributed to its capsizing. | ||
| SuperFerry 9 | Aboitiz Transport System (ATS) | 6 September 2009 | 10 | 0 | 961 | Inter-island ferry sank off the coast of the Zamboanga Peninsula.[54] | |
| MV Catalyn B | San Nicolas Shipping Lines | 24 December 2009 | 25[55] | 2 | 46[56] | Wooden-hulled passenger vessel MV Catalyn B collided with FV Anatalia off the coast of Limbones Island in Maragondon, Cavite. The vessel was traveling from Manila to Tilik Port in Lubang, Occidental Mindoro when FV Anatalia crossed its path, causing it to collide with the fishing vessel and sink.[57] | |
| FV Anatalia | Unknown | 0 | 0 | All crew survived | The steel-hulled fishing vessel FV Anatalia was on its way back to the Navotas Fish Port Complex after a fishing expedition in the Turtle Islands, Tawi-Tawi and was entering Manila Bay when MV Catalyn B collided with the vessel's rear. Anatalia was damaged in the rear but remained afloat.[58] | ||
| MV Baleno 9 | Besta Shipping Lines | 26 December 2009 | 6[59] | 54 | 72 | The RORO vessel capsized in the vicinity of Verde Island, Batangas while it was en route from Calapan, Oriental Mindoro to Batangas City.[60] | |
| MV St. Thomas Aquinas | 2GO Travel | 16 August 2013 | 114[61] | 23 | 750[62] | MV St. Thomas Aquinas departed from Nasipit, Agusan del Norte heading for Cebu City. At approximately 9:00 p.m. (PST), it was approaching its destination via the Cebu Strait when it collided with MV Sulpicio Express Siete, a cargo ship owned by the Philippine Span Asia Carrier Corporation that was leaving port, approximately 1.2miles from Talisay, Cebu.[63] The vessel immediately began to take on water, prompting the captain to order the ship abandoned.[64] The crew hurriedly handed out life jackets as hundreds of passengers jumped overboard. Within 30 minutes, the ship had sunk. At the time of the collision, St. Thomas Aquinas was carrying 715 passengers (58 were infants) and 116 crew members. Many passengers were asleep at the time or otherwise had trouble finding their way to the deck in the dark. | |
| MV Sulpicio Express Siete | Philippine Span Asia Carrier Corporation | 0 | 0 | 36 | Did not sink. | ||
| MB Kim Nirvana-B | 2 July 2015 | 62 | 0 | 158 | The sinking occurred en route from Ormoc to Pilar, Cebu in Ponson Island, among the Camotes Islands.[65] According to initial reports, the motor banca capsized due to overload with passengers and cargo and that the boat took a sharp turn. The Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) later stated that the boat capsized not because of overloading, but "the negligent operations of the captain".[66] Authorities placed the final count of death toll to 62, while 158 survived.[67] | ||
| MB Chi-chi | 3 August 2019 | 11[68] | 1 | 37 | Capsized due to squalls between Iloilo Strait and Guimaras Strait intensified by tropical monsoon winds and rains. The Chi-Chi and Keziah collided and capsized after they were hit by a squall, while the third Jenny Vince figured in a separate accident and also capsized.[69] | ||
| MB Jenny Vince | 20 | 2 | 22 | ||||
| MB Keziah 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | ||||
| FV Liberty 5 | Irma Fishing and Trading Inc. | 27 June 2020 | 14[70] | 0 | 0 | The fishing vessel was on its way to the Navotas Fish Port in Metro Manila from a fishing expedition in Mapun, Tawi-Tawi when it collided with the Hong Kong-flagged bulk carrier MV Vienna Wood N in the vicinity of Mamburao, Occidental Mindoro. Inclement weather may have contributed to the collision of the two vessels. None of the 14 individuals onboard the fishing vessel were found.[71] | |
| MV Vienna Wood N |  A. M. Nomikos Transworld Maritime Agencies | 0 | 0 | 20 | The Hong Kong-flagged bulk carrier MV Vienna Wood N was on its way to Australia from Subic Bay Freeport when it collided with the fishing vessel Liberty 5 in the vicinity of Mamburao, Occidental Mindoro. A hold departure order was given to the 20 crew of the bulk carrier by a court in Mamburao while the Philippine Coast Guard filed criminal charges against crew and owners of the vessel.[72] The charges were dismissed by prosecutors after the owners of the fishing vessel and the owners of the bulk carrier reached a settlement worth PH₱ 40 million. The vessel was allowed to leave the Philippines on 17 September 2020.[73] | ||
| MV Mercraft 2 | Mercraft Shipping | 23 May 2022 | 9[74] | 0 | 148 | The ferry left Polillo Island at 5 a.m. and caught fire, allegedly starting from the engine room, at approximately 1,000 yards from the Port of Real. The vessel was then towed to Baluti Island in Real, Quezon.[75] | |
MV Lady Mary Joy 3 | Aleson Shipping Lines | 29 March 2023 | 33[76] | 0 | 216 | The ferry was en route to Jolo, Sulu from Zamboanga City when it caught fire off Hadji Muhtamad, Basilan. Eighteen of the dead were found inside the ship after it was towed to shore | |
| MB Aya Express | Unknown | 27 July 2023 | 26[77] | 0 | 40 | Overloaded motor banca capsized en route to Talim Island from Binangonan, Rizal when it was hit by strong winds 45 meters from the shores of Laguna de Bay, causing the passengers to panic and move to the left side. | |
| FBCA King Bryan | Unknown | 5 June 2024 | 6[78] | 0 | 6 | Fishing boat travelling from Masbate caught fire off the coast of Naga, Cebu, which was believed to have originated from its engine. |