Boating accident in PG

[Centrals]

Happened around noon on 31st Jan 2024.
An Ocean Jet ferry travelling from Batangas to Calapan (hit) a Hop & Go water taxi travelling from PG to Batangas.
Two crew members of the water taxi were killed and two foreign passengers were also injured as well. However the water taxi managed to stay afloat, otherwise there might be more casualty(three more passengers and two crews).
Everyone on Ocean Jet were safe.
The water taxi usually has the capacity for at least 10 passengers.

 

[drrich2]

I'm trying to understand how this collision happened. Both vessels were large enough they ought to've had high visibility, I'm guessing it was open water rather than moving through a narrow channel (?), presumably both vessels were being driven by somebody (looking where he/she was going?) and your post doesn't list a torrential downpour.

Can't help but think there's something else involved.

 

[Centrals]

It does not make any sense at all.
The captain of Ocean Jet blaming poor visibility. But I had seen the video posted by the passenger of Ocean Jet clearly shown otherwise.

This incidence will be swept under the carpet eventually because this is Philippines.

 

[MidOH]

Doesn't matter if Ocean Jet has his eyes closed. He has the right of way, unless the Hop and Go was stopped or anchored.

Pretty safe bet, that the Hop and Go was driven poorly.

 

[Pearlman]

It’s a wide open channel or open ocean basically. Need to hear the accounts of the survivors on the hop-n-go. It’s a small boat and surely they must have seen the larger boat approaching … a post-mortem report of the pilots blood analysis should also clarify if alcohol or impaired judgement was a factor.

 

[Centrals]

Doesn't matter if Ocean Jet has his eyes closed. He has the right of way, unless the Hop and Go was stopped or anchored.

Pretty safe bet, that the Hop and Go was driven poorly.

There is such a thing as right of way rules for boating traffic.

 

[MidOH]

Correct. Tonnage has the right of way.

 

[Centrals]

Correct. Tonnage has the right of way

Which ship has "The right of Way"?
US Naval Institute Vol.143/11/1,377
There is NO such thing in International waters.

But this is Philippines!
I will let the investigation to decide the outcome.

 

[YYCLuke]

Which ship has "The right of Way"?
US Naval Institute Vol.143/11/1,377
There is NO such thing in International waters.

But this is Philippines!
I will let the investigation to decide the outcome.

If you are bigger, you have the right of way cause you ain't gonna win that fight.

 

[xrcjdx]

If you are bigger, you have the right of way cause you ain't gonna win that fight.

While this may be true, the international rule has much to do with maneuverability of the boats. ColReg 17, boiled down, is that the more maneuverable vessel, even if it is stand on, must ultimately yield right of way to avoid collision.