MANILA – The Philippines has a long history of sea mishaps.

On Dec. 20, 1987, The MV Doña Paz, a Sulpicio Lines-owned passenger ship collided with the MT Vector.

At least 1,749 people were confirmed killed. Some estimates, however, put the death toll at around 4,000 because many onboard were not in the passenger manifest. MV Doña Paz was overloaded.

Less than a year later, on Oct. 24, 1988, the MV Doña Marilyn, another Sulpicio Lines-owned passenger ship, sank as a typhoon lashed the Philippines. 250 people were killed.

Almost a decade later on Sept. 18, 1998, the MV Princess of the Orient, also of Sulpicio Lines, sank while sailing during a typhoon. A total of 150 people were killed.

On Feb. 27, 2004, the SuperFerry 14 caught fire and sank, leaving 116 dead.

The incident was subsequently determined to have been a terrorist attack by the Abu Sayyaf.

On Aug. 11, 2006, the MT Solar One, a cargo ship carrying two million liters of bunker fuel, sank off the Guimaras Strait.

An estimated 500,000 liters of fuel spilled into Guimaras’ waters in the worst oil spill in Philippine history.

On June 21, 2008, the MV Princess of the Stars, another Sulpicio Lines-owned ship, capsized off the coast of San Fernando, Romblon at the height of typhoon “Frank.” More than 700 people were killed.

Besides the big sea mishaps which made the headlines, there were many mishaps involving small passenger boats.

On May 23, 2009, a small passenger boat capsized at the Verde Island Passage near Mindoro, killing 12 people. – Report from ANC’s “Dateline Philippines Sunday”