M/B Kim Nirvana is Not Overloaded, MARINA Tells House Committee on Transportation

The Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) on Thursday said it found no sign of overloading of the ill-fated MB Kim Nirvana-B, which sank off Ormoc last week and left 62 people dead.

During the hearing of House committee on Transportation, MARINA Administrator Maximo Mejia said the incident that based on their calculations, M/B Kim Nirvana was not overloaded.

He explained that this was even if the boat exceeded its approved capacity of 178 passengers by allowing 209 people on board. Sacks of rice, cement and fertilizer were also loaded in the 33-ton vessel.

“There’s no overloading in terms of weight, but there’s overcrowding. We clarify that the accident was not caused by the excess number of passengers but the negligent operations of the captain,” Mejia told the panel.

He pointed out that in theory, M/B Kim Nirvana’s carrying capacity was up to 100 tons. The vessel’s actual load, he said, was less than 50 even if there were excess number of passengers and cargo on board.

“If we’re going to go by the weight of passengers and cargo, the vessel wasn’t overloaded,” Mejia noted.

The House Committee on Transportation conducts a motu propio investigation into the Ormoc sea tragedy. On July 2, the M/B Kim Nirvana capsized, killing 62 people.

MARINA told lawmakers that, according to its calculations, the boat was not overloaded.

Earlier claimed by survivors said they saw sacks of rice and cement have been loaded before they were allowed to board the banca.

Also, Philippine Coast Guard earlier said it did not find M/B Kim Nirvana overloaded because the mark on the hull indicating overloading was not reached even if the vessel contained an excess number of passengers and cargo. (PNA) RMA/SFM