Princess of the Stars

**Princess of the Stars**
	The capsized ship on June 25, 2008
Ship data
flag	Japan (1984-2004) Philippines (2004-2008);
other ship names	Lilac
Ship type	RoPax , ferry
home port	Otaru (1984-2004) ; Cebu (2004-2008)
Owner	Shin-Nihonkai Ferry Co. (1984-2004); Sulpicio Lines Inc. (2004-2008)
Shipyard	Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Co., Aioi , Japan
Build number	2904
Launch	March 27, 1984
takeover	July 10, 1984
Commissioning	July 1984
Whereabouts	Sunk on June 22, 2008
Ship dimensions and crew
length	192.92 m ( Lüa )
width	29.41 m
Draft	Max. 6.78 m
Machine system
machine	Pielstick diesel engine
Machine ; performance	19,430 kW (26,417 hp)
Top ; speed	21.8 kn (40 km / h)
Transport capacities
Load capacity	7670 dw
Others
Registration ; numbers	IMO no. 8323161

The Princess of the Stars was a ferry of the Philippine shipping company Sulpicio Lines , which ran aground and sank in the Sibuyan Sea during Typhoon Fengshen on June 22, 2008 en route from Manila to Cebu City . The scene of the accident is off the island of Sibuyan ( Romblon province ) near the city of San Fernando within sight of the coast. At the time of the accident, there were more than 850 people on board, of which only 56 survived. On June 27, the recovery of the bodies had to be interrupted because there were 10 tons of endosulfan on board and the highly toxic pesticide endangered the health of the divers.

Location of San Fernando in the Romblon province

Location of Romblon within the Philippines

The ship was built in 1984 under the hull number 2904 by the Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Company in Aioi , Japan and was initially in service for the Japanese shipping company Shin Nipponkai for around 10 years under the name Lilac . In 2004 the ferry was sold to the Philippines and renamed the Princess of the Stars by the new owner Sulpicio Line . The ship was the largest of the Sulpicio Lines and was considered quite modern by Filipino standards. It was approved for 1,992 people and measured with 23,824 gross tons. After the accident there were mutual allegations of guilt. The shipping company Sulpicio Lines sued the state weather service PAGASA for incorrectly forecasting weather conditions. PAGASA, however, rejects this accusation; the storm was correctly predicted, only Sulpicio Lines insisted on the ship leaving as scheduled . Also on the part of the President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo allegations were made to the port authority and the coast guard, why the ship was given permission to leave the safe port of Manila despite typhoon warnings.

On August 25, 2008, a five-person investigative commission from the Philippine Board of Marine Inquiry submitted a 65-page report. She comes to the conclusion that Sulpicio Lines and the captain of the Princess of the Stars, who died in the accident, are to blame for the accident. The captain had misjudged the situation and continued the voyage undeterred despite the approaching typhoon.

The accident occurred almost exactly 10 years after the sinking of the MV Princess of the Orient , also a ship of the Sulpicio Lines, which sank in September 1998 on the same route.