Philippines: 'Princess of the Stars' ferry disaster - toxic cargo OCHA Situation Report No. 1

NOTE: This situation report is based on information received from the Government of the Philippines. International Maritime Organisation (IMO), the UN Resident Coordinator 's Office in the Philippines. World Health Organisation (WHO), Monitoring and Information Centre of the European Commission (MIC ), and various media sources

Key Summary

- On 21 June, the 'Princess of the Stars' ferry boat capsized in the central Philippines. The ferry was carrying 100,000 litres of fuel and highly toxic pesticides.

- The Government of the Philippines and the United Nations agreed that the current situation could result in major ecological disasters impacting on health and livelihoods of the local population if not handled properly.

- The European Commission (Monitoring and Information Centre) and the United Nations (UNEP/OCHA Joint Environment Unit) dispatched a joint mission to assess the environmental impact of the incident as well as priority needs and gaps in assistance.

Situation

I . The 'Princess of the Stars' ferry boat, which left Manila on Friday 20 June at night, went aground on Saturday 21 June. On Saturday night, it began sinking as Typhoon Fengshen was moving through the area, after 16 hours in the 22-hour voyage. The vessel capsized at about 3 kilometres from Romblon on the shore of Sibuyan Island in the central Philippines. More than 700 passengers lost their lives. While divers were conducting rescue and recovery operations, it was reported that the boat was transporting an estimated amount of 100,000 litres of fuel in the cargo. It was also reported that a large amount of highly toxic pesticides such as antracol, tamaron, nicolsamide and carbamate were loaded in the cargo. The chemical substances of particular concern contained in the cargo include endosulfan, carbofuran, and methamidophos. Due to potential hazards, the rescue and recovery efforts were suspended. Meanwhile the hundreds of corpses are still trapped inside the vessel.

2. These chemicals were reported to be packed in a 40-foot container. This suggests that the quantity of toxic chemicals could be more than 10 metric tones. Bulks of the items appear to remain inside the cargo, as there is no indication that the toxic substances leaked outside the non-soluble packaging.

3. The Government of the Philippines and the UN Country Team in the Philippines are in full agreement that the above-described situation could result in a major ecological disaster if not handled properly. The current situation may cause serious effects on health and livelihoods of the people living in the area. The government authorities already imposed fishing ban over the area of 15 kilometres radius around Sibuyan Island due to the concerns of possible contamination. The Philippines Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) will place buoys and markers and facilitate patrolling in the affected area.

4. As the typhoon season approaches, around 20 typhoons are expected to affect the Philippines over the six months to come. This may wreak havoc on the stability of the capsized vessel.