The Doña Paz Fire

The Worst Peacetime Maritime disaster in history is often forgotten or mistaken for others. It isn't the Titanic or the Lusitania, in fact, many don't even know the name of the ship. But in 1987, a small 300' ferry boat, overladen with passengers would collide with an oil tanker. What resulted would claim the lives of over 4,000 people. It's a horrific event that deserves to be remembered.
#History #Disastet
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[@karenlee9197]

I haven't searched for years about this tragedy. This tragedy took away my mother & sister ( age 4) . I was 1 yr old & my brother 3. I am turning 35 soon, on my mother's birthday... I don't even know them but it brings me sadness.

[@MaritimeHorrors]

It was truly a tragedy, I'm very sorry for your family.

[@hulk2567]

sorry for your loss

[@donnawoodman6249]

Karen Lee- how did you and your brother survive?

[@karenlee9197]

Mother & father fought. Mother only took eldest/ sister with her on the ferry. Left 3yr old brother at time & I was 1 year old, left us with father

[@caesarspeaks]

Your loss is incomprehensible and I apologise for all you have suffered.

[@JJMHigner]

Well said at the end. Every ship should be remembered in their own names and the people who sailed in them.

[@Daniel_Huffman]

Before she sank, the _Titanic_ was thought of as _”Olympic’s_ sister.” Now, it’s the other way around, and it has also screwed over the identities of every other merchant ship, which the general public would compare to the _Titanic_ through the flimsiest of connections. Yes, both the _Titanic_ and (Insert shipwreck here) sank, and people died, but that’s more than likely all they have in common.

[@chaitea3659]

definitely. It always erks me when historic travels names his videos after the titanic and he himself has a video about the dona paz calling it "asias titanic"

[@zygbeee8563]

@@princessofthecape2078 Bro WTF?

[@MysticianLuna_VG]

@@princessofthecape2078 b R u H

[@makingmemesat3AM]

@@princessofthecape2078 THE SULTANA DESERVED IT THEN

[@VegasLounge]

One of the documentaries about this wreck interviewed a woman who, with her father, had jumped into the sea- both surviving. Something that she mentioned was that the fuel had gotten into her eyes as they tried to avoid the flames, and during the interview I couldn't help but notice that one of her eyes was very clearly discolored from the other. It's incredible that, with that enormous passenger load, that those two people would comprise what, a fifth of all survivors? I agree that comparing this to the Titanic is not only inaccurate, but really diminishes the horror of what actually happened to these people.

[@Chairdolf]

Id compare it more to the worst maritime disaster in history the wilhelm gustloff with 9000 deaths

[@sorrenblitz805]

@@Chairdolf comparing it is the problem. Comparison inherently diminishes both tragedies. Gustloff was a horrific tragedy of war and this was a tragic fire.

[@indy_go_blue6048]

To be petty, they represent 2/25 or 8% of the survivors.

[@mrkipling2201]

I’ve seen that documentary. The National Geographic one.

[@starrsmith3810]

Exactly why I refuse to call it Asia’s Titanic. They can’t be compared and shouldn’t be.

[@carjac820]

To put it to perspective. Philippine ferries like the Doña Paz has different accommodations unlike most western ships. The passenger deck are something more similar of that of a troop transport ship from WW2. Basically a double decked bunk beds everywhere. Even on its full capacity and not overloaded it will still be a crowded place. Now having 4x that amount and not to mention the stuffs they have to bring, I can't imagine the discomfort the passengers experienced in that time and even more so the situation during the disaster.

[@proactiveomnipresentvessel6569]

It also makes you think.. Could the final figure really be plausible? I know it will never be known but if you think about it. How were 4000+ people able to be crammed on the ferry?

[@johnpaullimbo7059]

@@proactiveomnipresentvessel6569 back then, ports are not really strict when it comes to passenger count. I remember when I was a child in the early 90s a few years after Doña Paz, we can board the ship without a ticket then a checker will just issue tickets to those who cannot present a pre-purchased ticket on board. Also, children below 4 are not counted as they do not pay. Doña Paz had over 1000 children on board (25-35% of those who perished) as it was Chirstmas time and whole families were travelling together. Also, passenger capacity is not counted on no. of seats/beds on board. It estimated based on the estimated weight a ship can take. If a ship is in full capacity, some passengers would have to take deck chairs or worse, improvise mats or cardboards on the floor. This happens up to this date. For roll-on roll-off ferries where vehicles can board, those in cars are also not counted as individuals but based on their total weight of the vehicle.

[@danijelujcic8644]

@@proactiveomnipresentvessel6569 IDK about total area accessible to the passengers (to estimate passengers per square meter) but I'd imagine it was packed close to the Wilhelm Gustloff.

[@andreaslermen2008]

Only the third time I found anything about this tragedy. Thank you for bringing this to more people. While the Dona Paz is the worst peace time desaster, other unknown sinkings with a huge loss of life are the Whilhelm Gustloff (something between 4000-9000 dead), the Goya (about 7000 dead), the Steuben (3000 dead) and the Cap Arcona (6400 dead), all in 1945. The last one is especially sad, since the ship was used as prison ship for KZ prisoners. She was sunk by allied planes at May 3rd, a few days before the war in Europe ended. Another very tragic accident between a passenger ship and a tanker was the Moby Prince. Due to mistakes, 140 of the 141 people on board died while the ship wa in a harbor.

[@danielkrol8587]

To add to that list of unknown sinkings with large losses of life, there was also the Soviet Hospital ship Armenia which left 5000-7000 dead with only 8 survivors

[@maxart3392]

Moby Prince wasn't at the habror, it had just departed Livorno when it happened. Actually an accident which could be compared to this one, one of the worst things that can happen at the sea. the ship(s) ablaze, the sea ablaze, in brief nowhere to escape. And by the way, some suggest that as many as 11000 people may have been lost on Wilhelm Gustloff.

[@sorrenblitz805]

The Wilhelm had 9000+ casualties, not a range between 4000 and 9000.

[@randomscb-40charger78]

The Cap Arcona actually didn't have that many people die, it was around 4,500 deaths, but some accidentally put it at around 7,000 deaths, because of the fact that the Thielbek, which was unfortunarely docked next to it, added another 2,500 deaths. There was another liner, the Deutschland, which miracuolously had no deaths, but also sank.

[@turkishissunlanguage]

Let's not forget the Ertugrul Frigate Disaster that took the lives of more than 500 Turkish Sailors off the coast of Wakayama, Japan...

[@kscorp5176]

Well researched, and compassionately presented.

[@MaritimeHorrors]

Thank you very much, shipmate. Appreciate it.

[@subclasshero6391]

Absolutely excellent content right here. Agree 100% about the Titanic comparisons. Yeah, Titanic is always going to be the big one and it has a whole narrative that makes it the tragic icon that it is. But who do most people know the names of on Titanic? Sure as hell isn't the third class passengers. To a lot of people Dona Paz was a ship of third class people by virtue of where it happened and it really does say a lot about our ingrained priorities that there's that gulf in recognition.

[@martintheiss4038]

Not to mention wholesale disrespect to what Titanic type safety procedures were put in place.

[@johnhasslinger1779]

Because the people on the Dona Paz didn’t do shit, they’re poor and created nothing of note. Why would they be famous?

[@thecashrabbit8919]

An American owned ship carrying a lot of Americans got a movie made about it in America, who cares?

[@manz7860]

@@thecashrabbit8919 this lol. People think it's some sort of social commentary

[@indy_go_blue6048]

Two things I'm sick of hearing about: 1. Titanic; 2. Covid. I love these videos because they cover (mostly) obscure events most of which I've never heard of.

[@JosieJOK]

This is the Doña Paz KZbin documentary that I have been waiting for. By far the most comprehensive and compassionate treatment of this disaster out there. Thank you for covering it. (And me and the YT algorithm are gonna have it out for not recommending this channel to me until now!)

[@martintheiss4038]

I agree with this man's comparison between the Dona Paz and the RMS Titanic incidents. First, "unregistered passengers" and potentially an unsound petrol tanker are serious insitutional failures on the part of adequate management of commercial shipping in the area. Second, at least the Titanic had time to organize a badly run evacuation that lead to serious failures on their own part, with at least in the day a relatively experienced command team. Third, the time that it took for the People of the Phillipines to organize a true estimate of the dead on board the ships makes one wonder how their law enforcement abilities were deployed. Fourth, not establishing how many crew members were required to be on duty in a boat of that type shows a complete lack of understanding of the problems that entail proper administration of any cruise line. And fifth, a hull history that showed it was prone to serious damage rather easily should have been given more respect by the line's owners.

[@Doncroft1]

Not potentially. The Vector WAS unsound. Crewed by untrained lazy fools of an irresponsible company. And the Dona Paz wasn't much better. Utter negligence on both sides.

[@mycologyqueer]

I love you calling out the comparison to the titanic, the respect you have for the victims is really important. ❤

[@martintheiss4038]

I am a professional in the warehouse distribution system. One always needs to have first at heart what creates sound shipping and maintenance principles. I wonder what the practices were of the shipping company when it came to estimating crew sizes and responsibilities of said leadership.

[@sorrenblitz805]

@@martintheiss4038 that's pretty easy to guess, man. Company: how can we save money? Oh yeah do more work with less people.

[@scofab]

I'd never even heard of the Doña Paz until now. Thanks for another well made video, and RIP to the victims of this horror.

[@BritanniaPacific]

The part where you brought up shark infested waters had me thinking of the sinking of the uss Indianapolis. Some survivors of the doña paz think that those who perished were later eaten by sharks, but that was never confirmed. It’s just speculation. Then again, there’s a lot of speculation regarding the uss Indianapolis too.

[@MaritimeHorrors]

True, it's possible that it happened but unconfirmed. That many people in the water would likely attract sharks, but so few survived it's unclear if it did or not.

[@EneTheGene]

It feels a bit fishy (sorry) to make assumptions about the sharks at least in case of the Doña Paz since sharks don't attack humans very often and the burning oil which remained on the surface for a long while would probably have scared them.

[@sorrenblitz805]

Any body not found likely was eaten by the creatures of the sea, but probably not sharks.

[@xenriga]

Don't know if this clarifies anything, but I'm Filipino and have heard stories of fishermen catching fishes with wedding rings in their stomachs. This is why when the MV Princess of the Stars sank (of 1000+ people onboard, only 32 survived), adults were telling me to not eat fish for a while (I was a kid when it happened).

[@pokeyscorpion8224]

@@MaritimeHorrors the burning oil likely kept any sharks away from the area for weeks. Hell, the explosion by itself would’ve probably been enough to keep sharks away for at least a couple days

[@msnorringtonsims6536]

You’ll likely never see this but I wanted to thank you for giving this awful tragedy the respect it deserves. I rarely see this covered but when I learned of it and saw it referred to “Titanic”, I felt sick. I understand that most well meaning reports are simply trying to invoke an emotional response from people who generally think of Titanic as the greatest maritime disaster. But as you said, it takes away from the genuine horror those people truly faced and suffered. They’re not comparable. So, thank you for your thorough and respectful breakdown ♥️

[@arnepianocanada]

You make a strong point with dignity. In fact, loss of *one life* is no less tragic for that one life. Too easily we may fall into a kind of 'disaster porn' - slavering over numbers in disregard of each individual lost.

[@Jen-rose76]

Thank you so much for telling these poor people’s story. I have actual heard this called, Asia’s Titanic many times. It makes me so mad. As you said the poor people on the Doña Paz had 2 choices burn to death on the ship, or jump in the water and be over taken by the fuel. Go blind and still burn to death since all the water around the ships was ablaze. There is a man and his daughter ( I’m sorry idk there names as I type this) that we’re aboard the Doña Paz. Her father and her jumped into the burning sea. She still suffers from the burns as well as her father she also is blind in one eye. They speak of all the people screaming as they burned, it broke my heart. I literally cried myself to sleep that night. More then once they described the deaths as Asia’s Titanic. It made my blood boil. I’m sorry so many people lost there lives on the titanic but this is not like it in any way what so ever!! Thank you for giving all of these people whom lost there lives or whom were Scarred for life the attention they all Deserved. Along with the men on the vector. No matter who is at fault thousands of men, women, and children lost there lives in the most horrific way possible. R.I.P. to them all. To the survivors, I pray you have healed inside and out. ❤️♥️♥️❤️🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽😭😭😭 ♥️♥️❤️❤️❤️🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽

[@stephenbritton9297]

I remember being taught at the maritime academy how to jump into and swim through oily/burning water. Worked most of my career on tankers, always wondered if it was a real skill, or just a way to make us feel better. Glad I never had to find out!

[@tjohn6041]

How would you?

[@stephenbritton9297]

@@tjohn6041 take off your life jacket, but hold onto a strap, jump in, and before you come back to the surface start waving your hands above you, to break up the oil. Once surfaced, keep your hands splashing to keep the oil away from you. Yeah… not so sure it would actually work!!!

[@caleb_güero]

I'm glad I work on Tall Ships and not tankers.

[@samanthazeiger1553]

You're completely right about not comparing it to the titanic. It is an insult to the memory of the Doña Paz passengers.

[@fistofram5526]

No, it really isn't. They're both disasters. You can call it asia's titanic and still refer to it as Doña Paz.

[@eduardgenardandalis1437]

@@fistofram5526No matter what you’vr try to compare any disasters (whether maritime, aviation, or any sort of subject) with the overrated Titanic, that was too far to compare and sounds very sensationalism (Titanicization).

[@fistofram5526]

@@eduardgenardandalis1437 You're stupid. A disaster is a disaster.

[@JoboGamezzz]

@@fistofram5526um yes it is?

[@fistofram5526]

@@JoboGamezzz No, it it ain't.

[@michaelhusada]

I love how you respected the victims of this disaster.

[@MiniMC546]

As a Filipino, calling this tragedy as "Asia's Titanic" is like saying "oh look. A tragedy that surpasses the Titanic". It's a title that needs to be put in the trash. We never wanted that title nor we never wanted a tragedy like this to happen.

[@MaritimeHorrors]

Exactly my thoughts, it's absolutely appalling and disrespectful, especially when it completely surpasses the Titanic.

[@MiniMC546]

@@MaritimeHorrors people here only call it as Doña Paz tragedy and not Asia's Titanic and when some say it's Asia's Titanic, people will get mad as to why would one say that. Comparing Doña Paz to Titanic is absolutely disrespectful to both disasters.

[@ShipsandGames]

@@MiniMC546 Yes. They were opposite. It’s quite weird why they said that. Titanic sank in cold waters. Doña Paz sank on fire. Including the water.

[@Xpwnxage]

@@MiniMC546 I don't think people are trying to be disrespectful when they say things like that. They're just a little ignorant of the worst maratime disasters and they compare it to something they (and most people) know.

[@MysticianLuna_VG]

@@MiniMC546 Im not here to compare it Instead, the disasters like RMS Titanic tragedy and other ship disasters, im going to respect them 🕊🚢

[@markvines7308]

I've just discovered this channel and I am rather impressed with what I've seen so far. I've subbed and look forward to seeing more 👍

[@MaritimeHorrors]

Very much appreciated, shipmate

[@ridleyscurry2480]

The wreckage showed at 6:55 is a 5 inch gun mount. Prolly from a Fletcher class destroyer. Not part of either ship involved in this incident

[@Vazkiel]

Your closing statements are commendable. The Dona Paz truly is its own tragedy and the horrors of those aboard should not be disrespected by calling it anything other than the Dona Paz.

[@thesketchydude1315]

Hey thats my awful old drawing from shipbucket at 1:52 which I made before I had blueprints and photos as reference...neat Man I really need to update it though and not to be nit picky but there are some minor issues 0:46 thats not himeyuri, but her half sister Otohime Maru of 1969 (later the equally ill fated dona marilyn) 5:07 thats the OLD don sulpicio of (as the newspaper states) Gothong Lines and not Sulpicio Line 6:46 thats not dona paz, but not sure what it is, I know it is from RV Petrel but not sure of the ID, I know its Military though aside from that incredible work! by the way if you ever want to do anything on the KMP Tampomas II or the Yarmouth Castle I'd be glad to throw a hand in, I have contact with one of the survivors of the Yarmouth (Terry Wise) as well as my own drawings, and also I have collected A LOT of general info and photos of Tampomas II as I am quite fascinated with its..."odd" architecture cheers! - "Sketch"

[@evilassaultweaponeer]

The Castle really needs to be in the short list for this channel. I hope you’re able to contribute to the episode!

[@taklampan650]

6:46 If you search for the wreck of the USS Johnston, that is one of the first images that you'll see. With that said, I can't confirm that it is the USS Johnston, could be any other shipwreck honestly. Both ships sank near the philippines, so maybe that's why the ship was used in the video.

[@lauramolony]

There is an old superstition amoung sailors that goes when you change a ship's name, you change it's fortune.

[@nooblangpoo]

I thank you for giving recognitiom to this tragedy. This is such a bleak time in my country as it was near the holidays and there are still thousands of questions unanswered regarding it, many of which still plauge the Philippine Seas with, especially Fly-By-Night Tankers.

[@Straswa]

Great vid MH. I cannot even imagine the horror of the passengers having to make that awful choice.

[@JoeBoyHHI]

I had never even heard of this tragedy before now. So unbelievably terrifying and sad. Although they weren't found to be at fault for the collision they were at fault for the greedy and gross negligence by the ships operators. I can't imagine 4,000 people being on that ship at one time. Thank you for the video.

[@drumdad54sdl47]

Top notch channel. Very well done! A suggestion to give an account of the sinking of the Yarmouth Castle.

[@HoChiMeme]

And yet this disaster is still obscure unlike the worst aviation disaster tenerife which is well known

[@CharlesFreck]

Most people are more interested in planes then ships. Simple as that. The cool factor. It's why the Hindenburg is so well known, and the Titanic. They were cool. Even Tenerife is two jetliners, which most people agree are a marvel of engineering. An old ferry in Asia just isn't cool, and so people are going to click on videos and articles about it. There's no spectacle, it's just sad and depressing. I will also say, I don't think I'd say Tenerife is well known. I bet if I asked everyone I know none of them would know what Tenerife is.

[@KuK137]

@@CharlesFreck I'd say the factor is that it happened to someone not white, not the ship. If this catastrophe happened to US or European ship, you can be sure it would be just as famous as Titanic. Alas, tragedies happening outside of first world, no matter how large, are completely ignored by media and history books. Churchill murdered millions of people in India by hoarding and denying them food (kept for 'more worthy' and partially wasted) during WW2 and you'd need to dig really deep to find even a passing mention...

[@manuelasousa7268]

Why is Titanic more famous than Doña Paz

[@wonderbread4323]

@@manuelasousa7268 there was a movie about titanic, a huge huge movie.

[@tiryaclearsong421]

I'm not sure if Tenerife is very well known either, at least not in the US. The O'Hare DC-10 or the Bagram cargo plane crash are a little better remembered. But most people I know don't care about ferries sinking or plane crashes. Most around me people know about Titanic because of the movie, but never would have looked into it otherwise.

[@mackenziebeeney3764]

The Dõna Paz was a victim of others negligence. The Titanic was a victim of its own pride, poor visibility, and a frozen sea. They don’t compare at all in my mind.

[@zombabine2576]

Well the titanic also had broken rivets that were broken before it hit the iceburg However It likely would have broken down anyway the iceburg just sped up the process

[@Doncroft1]

​@zombabine2576 The Titanic's rivets were of good construction for the time. The only real mistake (for the time) was going full speed when it was known icebergs were in the area.

[@merafirewing6591]

​@@Doncroft1 actually they weren't anywhere near the ice pack, the iceberg they ran into was most likely a rogue.

[@Doncroft1]

@@merafirewing6591 But they knew icebergs brought down by the cold water current had been spotted in the area and could have been more cautious. The cold water mirage on the calm sea made them very difficult to spot.

[@JagerLange]

35th anniversary of this event today, and I am still saddened that this disaster isn't fully remembered internationally as such the major disaster that it was.

[@rtrThanos]

Hard to believe this is the only video about MV Dona Paz. Much respect for covering this since not many seem to know about it,

[@mflashhist500]

Wow, I had never heard of this disaster before despite it being one of the worst maritime disaster ever. Fully concur with your comments at the end of the episode, the victims deserve respect.

[@lo-fidevil2950]

The note of moral clarity at the end was well said and worth saying.

[@marvindebot3264]

Both your respect for the victims and the obvious through research you do begs comparison with Fascinating Horror, one of the few other channels to get it right 98% of the time.

[@colemarie9262]

Subbed from your channel name and the fact that it's a human speaking alone.

[@J0K32R]

Just found this channel and I’m a huge fan already. Keep it up!!

[@winstonsmith3685]

I can’t believe I had never heard of this disaster before. Staggering loss of life.

[@mjc11a]

As someone who lives in SE Asia, I can tell you that the practice of cramming people like sardines on ferries still occurs. Profit over safety is never a good business model to follow. Thanks for posting and be safe 🙏

[@JoboGamezzz]

Dona Paz would definitely be a much more hellish experience than titanic which nothing should be compared anyways

[@gerardleahy6946]

It absolutely beggars belief that such a tragedy could happen in 1987. I thought I was hearing things when I heard about the overloading and the fact that the ship lacked a radio to summon assistance, or even prevent the collision by calling the tanker. May God rest all who perished.

[@magesalmanac6424]

Of course such a tragedy could happen then and still happens today. Why is it surprising?

[@RainbowDash2101]

Very interesting! I'd never heard of this, that's so tragic.

[@peggybrem2848]

Indeed, though every ship fire should be seen for itself, I can’t help but see a horrible similarity to the explosion of the overloaded steamboat “Sultana” in the dead of night on the Mississippi after the close of the civil war.

[@alevine1951]

Good lord, 1987 was practically yesterday. From the beginning of the video I began contemplating how is it that at least here in America this tragedy is virtually forgotten while the Titanic is a cultural touchstone? I think the answer is not very complimentary.

[@MaritimeHorrors]

Sadly my line of thinking is very similar. I've talked to a few people about this very same thing and many come to the same conclusion that media seems to invest more effort in stories in Western nations. It's very unfortunate, those people deserve to be remembered just as much as anyone else.

[@drukawski]

They aren't comparable, but not for the reasons you give. Titanic was 16 times heavier, 3 times longer, double the beam, had twice the number aboard, was doing a ~3 thousand mile trans-oceanic crossing (instead of Dona Paz's 600 mile trip up the coast of the same island chain it started from), Titanic's path took it thousands of miles off shore while Dona Paz stayed within 20-30 miles of shore, Dona Paz was laid down with 50 years of design/engineering improvements (taking into account Titanic's sinking) to benefit from, Titanic sank in freezing condition rather than the 80-90 F Philippine waters, Titanic sank with 1/50th (an entire state's worth) of US's immigrants that year, Titanic was on it's maiden voyage rather a hull with decades of wear and tear, and Titanic sank nearly 80 years earlier. Titanic wasn't a tragedy because people died, Titanic was a tragedy because it was a pivotal moment in US/European history that very effectively illustrated to Europe and the US that their laws, engineering practices, standardized operating practices, and technological development in the 1900's weren't safe enough (ship design, # of lifeboats, radio signaling, rocket signaling, ice patrols, etc.). In effect; we ourselves are the root cause of the Titanic. Additionally, at the time shipping was largely the only option to move goods and people. Massive amounts of industrial effort were going into designing, building, maintaining, and operating these vessels. Dona Paz only shows learned maritime lessons aren't a guarantee against negligence. It may be the worst maritime disaster, but only until someone manages to repeat this with a bigger ship.

[@fistofram5526]

"Titanic wasn't a tragedy because people died" Alright, you are definetly stupid.

[@grapeshot]

I don't think anybody was trying to be disrespectful when they call it the Titanic of the Pacific. It's just that people have the tendency to compare disaster to other disasters and the Titanic, it's sinking has become very iconic. Much like when it comes down to volcanic eruptions often times people mention Pompeii and Herculaneum. I remember the Station nightclub fire in Rhode Island people were making comparisons to the fire at the Coconut Grove. Even though the only things those two disasters have in common is that the fire took place at a nightclub.

[@HydraVolt12]

This is some good content my guy, you should cover the MV Thomas Aquinas at some point.

[@PaperSmiles]

Well said about the Titanic. Quick maths will tell you that 37% of passengers aboard Titanic survived. Around 0.6% of passengers aboard Doña Paz survived.

[@TretBoyer]

Why compare ppl who died and survived terrible ship tragedies

[@temppp6235]

Just found your channel love the videos

[@rageumanic_gaming9469]

Id say do one on the viking line Estonia disaster. Love these videos

[@forechunkukee]

Really appreciate your statement on the comparisons between this tragedy and the Titanic. All too often, huge events and and tragedies that happen to us in Asia are merely rebranded as "[non-western country]'s [infamous event]". Thank you for your consideration and respect.

[@Ydce1891]

I love that you stress this isn’t Asia’s Titanic. I don’t think we can really appreciate the magnitude of this collision and loss. The number of people killed in Dõna Paz is even greater then those we lost on 9/11. I can’t even imagine the chaos and terror the passengers endured. I never heard of this until today.

[@TheSaint491]

It’s scary the amount of ferry incidents there are in the Philippines

[@willowpoynter9450]

Your last statement gave me chills.

[@ventilato7919]

My Grandpa who was a security guard was on that unfortunate ship and apparently saved one of his best friends which was part of the few ones that survived. He gave his life to save his becuase my grandpa was a good swimmer and his good friends wasnt 😞

[@raphaeldsantos]

Great video! Thanks for making an effort to pronounce the names properly. Shows great attention to detail.

[@randalparks9648]

After having watched my first "Maritime Horrors" video, I always click the LIKE button before watching. I know that I'm going to like your content, even though I'm often perturbed by it. It's history, and thus worthwhile to be aware of, plus it's well done and the visuals are excellent. Oh, and I finally remembered to subscribe - should have done it earlier. Anyway, thank you for what you do, and keep up the good work!

[@jaclpz]

I know about this tragedy since I was a kid. My mother would always talk to me about this during our visit to the cemetery during Halloween. Many of her relatives and friends were aboard the ship.

[@taklampan650]

The survivor to casualty ratio is insane here

[@J.R.in_WV]

The RMS Republic sank in 1909 and with the aid of her wireless telegraph set all but 6 of her passengers and crew were rescued thanks to being able to transmit a distress call. For the Dona’ Paz to lack a marine radio 79 years after that is criminal

[@henrykberonio9008]

My lolo is also a survivor on this ship but his cousin and cousins girlfriend died in this ship

[@MaritimeHorrors]

What an absolute tragedy. My condolences to you and yours. I wish more people knew of this disaster.

[@experienceaeiou]

I'll never forget this. I am awestruck, horrified I had never heard of this disaster, so unknown that this video has a mere 46k views. What a world, RIP ye lost souls.

[@sypoth]

To compare either the Dona Paz or the Wilhelm Gustav, the two deadliest sinkings in Maritime history to anything else is an insult. The closest you get to the Dona Paz is the MV Sewol but even that falls drastically short, barely being a single half popped kernel in a jumbo bag of popcorn. I am glad you emphasized peace time because allot of other channels ignore the Wilhelm Gustav mostly because of its origins despite it being comfortably the single greatest loss of life at sea, only the Dona Paz comes close at less than half the body count.

[@rageumanic_gaming9469]

Each disaster should be its own but when some people talk about it they find another disaster that some what matches it in their own eyes but I agree with you on comparing those two disasters as the same is a disrespect of the memories of everyone lost in that disaster.

[@morten2001]

Thanks for putting toghter this documentary about the Doña Paz. Please make a video about her sister ship too, the Doña Marilyn.

[@proactiveomnipresentvessel6569]

Would you consider doing the Princess of the Orient and/or the Princess of the Stars? They both sank during typhoons Princess of the Orient in 1998 and Princess of the Stars in 2008 both were owned by Sulpicio Lines as well

[@Voan200]

Loved your remark on Titanic comparisons. I’m not sure if you’ve seen it but look up “Titanicization” and you’ll find a good video by The Great Big Move on the subject. This goes for anyone who reads this comment.

[@richardcowling7381]

Never fails to shock me how many times you hear about shipping disasters in this part of the world, and how grossly overloaded some of the ships are.

[@therealdeal3866]

Absolutely agree with your final message. Well said.

[@nooblangpoo]

Sulpicio Lines have a weird affinity for accidents, besides Doña Paz, three other passenger ships of theirs was sunk in different accidents, Doña Marilyn, Princess of the Orient, Princess of the Stars and MV Saint Thomas Aquinas.

[@chdreturns]

You mean suspicious lines?

[@MysticianLuna_VG]

MV Doña Paz MV Doña Marilyn MV Princess of the Orient MV Princess of the Stars MV Saint Thomas Aquinas ---- RIP passengers from the fallen ships 🕊

[@gabrieldominic2381]

MV Saint Thomas Aquinas was owned by another company called 2GO, not Sulpicio Lines. The vessel you were trying to mention on the last part is Sulpicio Express Siete (7), a cargo ship owned by the same company but changed its name to Philippine Span Asia Carrier Corporation. That incident happened 9 years ago in 2013. But yeah, Sulpicio Lines was very notable for its tragic ship disasters. Just to clarify :)

[@lwalker8785]

There's nothing weird about it when you consider their laissez-faire attitude to crew training and passenger safety.

[@Pablo668]

Yeah, it's one of those rules I live my life by. Never catch a ferry in the Phillipines. Not that I live there or anything.

[@jamesbarclay7951]

The thing about this incident is that IF the crew weren't being so laid back or panic like the passengers did during the sinking, IF the life boats were accessible and IF the life jackets were not.locked away in a storage cabinet alot more lives COULD have been saved....yes the life boats may.have caught fire too but the chance of survival would have still been higher...it begs belief that regardless of whether the crew had done the route some many times they should have still had their heads.onna swivel

[@funnelvortex7722]

Great message near the end, a bit off topic but as someone near the Great Lakes I've always hated it when the Edmund Fitzgerald is compared to the Titanic. The Fitzgerald's and Titanic's comparisons end at they were big ships that split in half, there is no other comparison between the two tragedies. People also completely forget the Lady Elgin (which nearly wiped out an entire ethnic minority community in it's sinking) was a thing, which was the worst tragedy to take place on the lakes (there was a bigger tragedy that took place when a ship capsized in the Chicago river, but the Elgin was the worst on the lakes themselves). Even then I don't like the Elgin being "Titanicized" either, Titanicization is a stupid media trend that I wish would die already.

[@Ob1sdarkside]

Love your vids, very informative and respectfully done.

[@robinrodriguez480]

How can you get away with. 1500 on the manifest and 4000 actual thats insanity and both companies should be held liable !!!

[@whitneyeaton5585]

Well said, it's truly a sad state that greed causes, untrained, irresponsible people, putting soo many at risk.

[@lucenzofrancobejerano1200]

basically the opposite of titanic. It was small, overcrowded unlike the titanic, it was cold on the titanic, died from hypothermia while on Doña Paz, people burned to death, its different from hyperthermia by the way.

[@jamesstuart3346]

It appears that the Vector was not a tanker in the traditional sense but a vessel carrying barrels of gasoline on its deck. Had the fuel been safely in the hold the results might have been different

[@AlohaChips]

One of the worst examples I've seen as to why we say "regulations are written in blood". The sharks seem like a lesser danger than the human carelessness. :(

[@OceanChannelProductions]

oh now this is awsome. you should do one on princess of the stars,

[@MaritimeHorrors]

Wow, another Ferry run by Sulpicio Lines. That company just has some rotten luck. Thanks for the suggestion, shipmate.

[@OceanChannelProductions]

@@MaritimeHorrors they tankfully are not a thing anymore

[@jollamasbait]

@@MaritimeHorrors its not cuz off bad luck its more of corruption agian this company does poor maintenance to there ships They fucosed on comfort TO MUCH! now they have 5 accidents dona paz,dona marilyn (its sister ship),princess of the orient,princess of the stars,princess of the world these five accidents made them dangerous for passengers which is the reason why the are now a cargo shipping company

[@MaritimeHorrors]

Hmmm, thank you for the info. I'm going to have to look further into this, maybe do other videos on it.

[@pokeyscorpion8224]

Yeah, sharks would’ve been the absolute least of those peoples’ worries. The explosion would be more than enough to keep them away all on its own, and the burning oil likely kept them away from the area for months at least. And even if the sharks weren’t driven away, being killed by a shark is merciful compared to burning alive, drowning, and especially burning alive while drowning in oil

[@dylan9025]

While the loss of life is indeed harrowing, it's incredibly sad we in the States (and the english speaking world) are not taught about the worst loss of life in a shipwreck in history

[@jbc8220]

I remember the time when this happened nobody wants to eat or buy fish from the market. Because of the fear this fishes might have eaten some human remains from the accident. It lasted for 2 years

[@MrGeesikser]

Amazing video, as always, can you make video about Bulgaria, cruise ship which sunk at Volga in Russia? I cried 3 days because of those kids...

[@ernestweaver9720]

Wow the Coast Guard really had their act together. Well done guy's! RIP too all those lost.

[@basstrammel1322]

Not related, but my grandfather was haunted by the memories of fellow sailors burning to death in fuel fires. Strung out on meth supplied by the captain and in constant fear of submarines getting them too. I just can't imagine. But the terror of the souls who went down in this burning inferno has no comparison, being in a cramped space with panicing people is dangerous enough in it's self.

[@kevinjohnson7693]

Excellent story

[@Markmeister1989]

You should do a video about the sinking of m/s Estonia in september of 1994!

[@antonioaaronosabel9574]

🇵🇭 In one video, a survivor said that they were cramped in the ship like Cockroaches. A military survivor said that 1000 of them boarded the Dona Paz too. That means, so many Miltary and Civilians weren't in the Passenger's manifest. Only 1500 civilian passengers were recorded but in actual, there's gotta be 5000+ people aboard the Dona Paz. Way way Overgrossed with Humans & Cargos.

[@whocrusader5179]

This tragedy is still unforgivable except for the innocent lives lost as victims. If only the world would ever know it now on.

[@williamcarl4200]

Shocking. My deepest thoughts and prayers.

[@privatepilot4064]

Well done video. Great job!

[@TBone-bz9mp]

If I may make a request could you cover the MV Princess Victoria disaster of 1953? This was the worst accident in British Waters prior to the Piper Alpha tragedy.

[@martinhughes2549]

A very significant disaster as well. It was the first RORO ferry to capsize. A very tragic disaster.

[@3ducksinamansuit]

You have a sub, I dig it man.

[@MaritimeHorrors]

Appreciate it, shipmate.

[@9mileskid]

This story is a massive tale of misery and hell …. May god wrap his arms around all those that perished ✨🙏

[@thesundog8833]

It's crazy I never heard about this until today - at 30 years old. Never seen any television shows about it and wasn't mentioned in school. Sad.

[@Infinite-void908]

There's also the tragic story of The Wilhelm Gustloff sinking

[@FM_1819]

Awesome video

[@MaritimeHorrors]

Thank you, shipmate!

[@marcuscarana9240]

This is still a problem here in the Philippines today. There is very little safety and prevention when it comes to public transport. There were soldiers and policemen on board the Doña Paz the night the tragedy occured. These were the people who should've stopped the ferry from leaving or letting so many people in. Instead, they themselves allowed the illegal overcrowding to happen. People who are supposed to enforce the regulations and safety protocol are turning a blind eye to these things and are in fact part of the problem and this happens to this day. This does not only happens in ships and ferries but other forms of public transport. Busses, trains, overcrowding and overcapacity and very dangerous, old vehicles still in use. All of these are still common problems but what can you expect from a third world, impoverished nation. The Doña Paz tragedy was preventable, it's just that the people here in the Philippines are okay with dangerous practices and people who are supposed to keep people safe like the soldiers and policemen on board, they turn a blind eye and allowed it to happen. Do not believe our local media when officials say "they handled the situation admirably". This is how they paint every accident, every fire, every factory accident, every tragedy. The media here will always say that authorities and superiors handled the situation well and it was this and that excuse as to why it happened. Despite being a democratic country, the media here is almost propaganda like China where the government and private sectors can do no wrong in the eyes of journalists. National Geographic made a documentary of this tragedy. You can watch it on KZbin to see the full story.

[@richarddones5734]

I lost an family member in that tragedy. 🙁

[@theautistictransitfan]

For those wondering, the worst ever maritime disaster was the sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff in 1945, where a ship carrying refugees from German-occupied poland was sunk by a soviet submarine.The death toll estimate is around 9,000 people. This disaster is sadly ignored since the victims were "nazis". This is not true at all, as the victims were polish refugees, seeking to escape germany.

[@MaritimeHorrors]

Partially true, while it's the worst single vessel maritime disaster. It's not the worst, in fact the sinking of the Spanish Armada of 1588 caused nearly 15,000 sailors and soldiers to go to their watery graves. All the same, I am working on a video for the Wilhelm Gustloff, so I'm glad you brought it up. Thanks, shipmate!

[@MiniMC546]

The sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff was the worst wartime maritime disaster. The sinking of Doña Paz was the worst peacetime maritime disaster.

[@MrMarinus18]

another very overlooked tragedy is the capsizing of the Eastland in 1915 in the Chicago harbor which in mere minutes killed 887 people.