More than two dozen people were injured on Sunday when a ferryboat collided with a landing craft near Cebu Island Philippines.
The accident occurred ~2:45 pm as the fast ferry St. Jhudiel was traveling from Leyte to Cebu Port and collided with the LCT Poseidon 23 in the vicinity of the Mactan Channel.
Following the collision, the St. Jhudiel received assistance from a tugboat, owned by the same company, and docked at Cebu's Pier 1. All 208 passengers and crew disembarked from the ferry at that location. Some of the passengers sustained injuries and were transported to a nearby hospital. The master of the ferry informed the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) that a total of 25 individuals were injured, including those with minor injuries, although other news sources have reported lower casualty figures.
The PCG suspects that the collision was caused by a steering malfunction and engine failure on board the St Jhudiel (1996-built ferry, IMO 9135717). The shipowner (Supercat) released a statement mentioning their cooperation with the PCG and other relevant agencies in an ongoing investigation.
In contrast, the LCT Poseidon 23, which had 17 trucks and 20 drivers on board, did not report any injuries. It returned to its port of origin in Mandaue City for a damage assessment.
In a statement, Supercat said that Supercat Management deeply apologized for the harm and inconvenience caused by the recent accident involving MV St. Jhudiel. Their primary concern now was to ensure that all those who sustained injuries were properly cared for.
"Additional safety measures and appropriate actions shall be undertaken to avoid recurrence of this unfortunate incident."