manhattandiver
Contributor
I just returned from a two-week trip to the Philippines. While I was diving on Tubbataha, the Eco Explorer ran aground on Tubbataha South, on the West side of the reef a couple of kilometers North of the lighthouse. The incident happened at approximately 11 PM on March 26. The ship appeared to be going at full speed at the time and over 75% of it lodged onto the reef top. Damage to the reef was extensive, though amazingly no one was injured. No alarm bells went off in the ship and from all accounts the crew did nothing to alert the passengers or to ensure their safety.
The Oceanic Explorer and the Stella Maris Explorer then spent the next day attempting to tow the Eco Explorer off of the reef, but to no avail. Both tow ropes snapped, whipping back against the ships. Several passengers were nearly injured and some of their dive gear was destroyed. Before that happened, however, the Stella Maris Explorer itself nearly ran aground. While its captain was focused on the salvage operation, he ignored the changing currents that pushed his own ship within 5 meters of the reef. Had it not been for the frantic calls of one of the ship's passengers (himself a licensed captain), the Stella Maris Explorer would have run aground as well. Chase boats were called in and literally rammed the Stella Maris Explorer to keep it off of the reef.
As of March 30th, the Eco Explorer was still aground, though an ocean-going tug and the Philippine Navy were attempting to pull it off of the reef. The fact that the ship's operator, Cruise Island Adventure (and their affiliate, Scuba World), could let something like this happen is appalling. The negligence of the Eco Explorer's captain and crew is inexcusable, as is the negligence of the other boats' captains in risking their own passengers in the ensuing salvage operation.
This is now the third liveaboard that Cruise Island Adventure / Scuba World has run aground. The Island Explorer crashed into Apo Reef in 2003 and the Big Blue Explorer did the same in Palau in 2002. Given such a safety record, I STRONGLY recommend that divers avoid this operation. I can only hope that the passengers on the Eco Explorer are fully compensated for their ordeal and that Cruise Island Adventure / Scuba World are forced to pay the full amount of fines due for the reef damage their ship caused. To do any less would make a mockery of the Philippine legal system and Tubbataha's status as a protected UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Oceanic Explorer and the Stella Maris Explorer then spent the next day attempting to tow the Eco Explorer off of the reef, but to no avail. Both tow ropes snapped, whipping back against the ships. Several passengers were nearly injured and some of their dive gear was destroyed. Before that happened, however, the Stella Maris Explorer itself nearly ran aground. While its captain was focused on the salvage operation, he ignored the changing currents that pushed his own ship within 5 meters of the reef. Had it not been for the frantic calls of one of the ship's passengers (himself a licensed captain), the Stella Maris Explorer would have run aground as well. Chase boats were called in and literally rammed the Stella Maris Explorer to keep it off of the reef.
As of March 30th, the Eco Explorer was still aground, though an ocean-going tug and the Philippine Navy were attempting to pull it off of the reef. The fact that the ship's operator, Cruise Island Adventure (and their affiliate, Scuba World), could let something like this happen is appalling. The negligence of the Eco Explorer's captain and crew is inexcusable, as is the negligence of the other boats' captains in risking their own passengers in the ensuing salvage operation.
This is now the third liveaboard that Cruise Island Adventure / Scuba World has run aground. The Island Explorer crashed into Apo Reef in 2003 and the Big Blue Explorer did the same in Palau in 2002. Given such a safety record, I STRONGLY recommend that divers avoid this operation. I can only hope that the passengers on the Eco Explorer are fully compensated for their ordeal and that Cruise Island Adventure / Scuba World are forced to pay the full amount of fines due for the reef damage their ship caused. To do any less would make a mockery of the Philippine legal system and Tubbataha's status as a protected UNESCO World Heritage Site.
