St Thomas Aquinas Ship, The St. Thomas Aquinas was a passenger ferry that met a tragic end in 2013. The ship was sailing, General, st-thomas-aquinas-ship, JPOSE
The St. Thomas Aquinas was a passenger ferry that met a tragic end in 2013. The ship was sailing from Butuan City to Cebu City in the Philippines when it collided with a cargo vessel, the MV Sulpicio Express 7. The collision caused the St. Thomas Aquinas to sink, taking 116 lives with it.
The St. Thomas Aquinas was built in 1972 by the Japanese shipbuilder Hayashikane Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. Ltd. It was originally named the Himeyuri Maru and was operated by the Ryukyu Kaiun KK shipping company. The ship was sold to the Philippine ferry company 2GO Group Inc. in 2000 and was renamed the St. Thomas Aquinas.
The St. Thomas Aquinas was a roll-on/roll-off ferry, which means that it had a ramp at the bow that allowed vehicles to drive onto the ship and park on the main deck. The ship had a capacity of 1,010 passengers and 160 vehicles. It was powered by two diesel engines that could propel the ship to a maximum speed of 20 knots.
At the time of the collision, the St. Thomas Aquinas was carrying 723 passengers and 118 crew members. Most of the passengers were asleep in their cabins when the collision occurred. The impact caused a large hole in the ship's hull, and water began to flood into the lower decks. The ship began to list to one side, and many of the passengers were trapped in their cabins. The crew attempted to evacuate the passengers, but the sinking was too rapid, and many were unable to escape in time.
The sinking of the St. Thomas Aquinas was one of the deadliest maritime disasters in Philippine history. The Philippine government launched an investigation into the accident and found that both the St. Thomas Aquinas and the MV Sulpicio Express 7 were at fault. The St. Thomas Aquinas was found to be overloaded and had faulty navigational equipment, while the MV Sulpicio Express 7 was found to be traveling at an excessive speed.
The tragedy of the St. Thomas Aquinas serves as a reminder of the importance of safety measures in maritime transportation. While accidents can happen, proper safety protocols can help prevent loss of life. The sinking of the St. Thomas Aquinas was a tragic event, but it also serves as a lesson for the future.