10 Biggest Ferry Accidents in the World

Ferry accidents are quite tragic due to the high number of casualties and also because they occur due to human carelessness or flouting safety regulations. Bad weather conditions can also be the culprit.

Read this article to learn about the 10 biggest ferry accidents in the world, which claimed the lives of hundreds of people.

1. MV Dona Paz, Philippines

The sinking of this passenger ferry after its collision with an oil tanker on December 20, 1987, killed approximately 4385 people and only 26 could be rescued, making it one of the biggest ferry accidents ever.

National Geographic called it ‘Asia’s Titanic’ and Time Magazine labelled it ‘the deadliest peacetime maritime disaster of the 20th century’.

The tragedy struck when the ferry was sailing from Leyte Island to Manila. It was overcrowded, with 2000 people not mentioned on the manifest.

After a fire spread onboard, an explosion and blackout led to panic. Lifeboats could not be found and it is said the ferry did not have a radio. It took Dona Paz just 2 hours and the tanker, Vector about 4 to sink in Tablas Strait.

A lack of safety measures on the ferry and the unseaworthiness of the tanker, sailing without a licence, an experienced master and a lookout were the main reasons for this disaster.

2. MV Le Joola, Senegal

This RORO ferry, named after the Jola people, was owned by the government of Senegal. It was constructed in Germany and measured 79 m lengthwise, 12 m breadthwise and weighed 1400 tonnes.

Though it had some of the latest safety equipment, it capsized off the Gambia coast on September 26, 2002, leading to the deaths of 1863 passengers and just 64 survived.

It was sailing from Ziguinchor to the capital Dakar when it encountered a powerful storm since it was travelling farther at sea than it was licenced to sail.

Also, it had 2000 guests, which was way above its carrying capacity leading to instability. Rescue could not begin for many hours due to the weather conditions.

An inquiry highlighted negligence and top leaders of the country were also blamed for the disaster.

3. MV Neptune, Haiti

Neptune was a Haitian ferry which made regular sailings from the western port of Jeremie to Port-au-Prince, carrying people and cargo, including charcoal or even animals for sale in the biggest city of Haiti.

However, this journey was different on the night of February 16, 1993, when the ferry sank off Miragoane, killing about 1500 people out of the 2000 onboard.

During that time, the socio-political conditions in Haiti allowed vessels to sail without proper regulations which was the reason for this ferry accident.

MV Neptune was severely overcrowded and a severe rainstorm led to pitching and rolling. People panicked and went to one side of the ship which caused instability, eventually causing it to sink.

The search and rescue was done mainly by the U.S Coast Guard and it took about 48 hours for the incident to be reported in Port-au-Prince.

4. MS al-Salam Boccaccio 98, Red Sea

Operated by El Salam Maritime Transport, this RORO passenger ferry sank on February 3, 2006.

The incident happened in the Red Sea while it was sailing from Duba, Saudi Arabia to Safaga in Egypt.

It carried around 1418 people, the majority of whom were Egyptians who worked in Saudi Arabia but it also included pilgrims coming back after performing Hajj in Mecca.

Apart from passengers, the ferry also had 220 vehicles. No distress signal was sent from the vessel and worsening weather interfered with search and rescue. Around 1031 people died and only 388 could be saved.

The ferry sank when water accumulated in the hull after firefighters extinguished an engine room fire. Though the captain asked the shipowners if he could return to port, he was told to continue.

5. MV Bukoba, Tanzania

This ferry carried people and cargo across Lake Victoria, Tanzania between Bukoba and Mwanza City.

The vessel was constructed in 1979 and could accommodate 430 people and 850 tonnes of cargo.

On May 21, 1996, it sank in 25 m of waters, 30 nm off Mwanza City, taking the lives of approximately 894 people.

The incident happened as the vessel was overloaded and poorly constructed without any maintenance and repairs being carried out regularly and safety regulations were not followed.

Most coxswains employed had no licences to navigate the ferry. It was also revealed that the ferry which began operations in 1979, was not registered until the day it capsized.

Rescue and Salvage were extremely slow due to a lack of equipment and divers.

6. MS Estonia, Baltic Sea

Estonia sailed on a night journey across the Baltic Sea on September 27, 1994, from Tallinn to Stockholm in Sweden. She left with 989 people and vehicles and was to reach its destination the next morning.

The weather was stormy however it seemed nothing serious. At 1:00 a.m., a screeching sound was heard but a bow inspection didn’t reveal anything unusual. However, it began to list a few minutes later. The crew members communicated their location and the first helicopter came at 3:05 a.m.

About 852 people died when it sank, and of the 138 saved, 1 died in the hospital. Out of the 310 people who reached the decks, a third died of hypothermia.

A formal investigation concluded that the locks of the bow visor failed which flooded the car deck. Another report highlighted a lack of swift action by the crew who did not light distress flares.

It was also said that a tractor-trailer had broken its moorings and caused damage to the door. A 2023 inquiry highlighted issues with the bow visor.

7. MV Princess of Stars, Philippines

Owned by Sulpicio Lines, this ferry sank during Typhoon Fengshen on June 21, 2008, off San Fernando, Romblon, causing the deaths of 814 people of the 870.

Though it sent a distress signal, contact was lost. Even the Philippine Coast Guard could not aid with the rescue due to worsening weather.

Reports highlighted that the captain had ordered everyone to wear life jackets and abandon the vessel. A few minutes later, the ferry tilted dangerously and capsized in 60 minutes.

Investigation stressed negligence on the part of the ship’s captain who sailed in the collision course of the typhoon whereas family members of the victims blamed the shipowner who said that the Coast Guard never told them not to sail.

Princess of the Stars was allowed to sail as it was big enough to remain safe in the periphery of the typhoon. However, the typhoon suddenly changed its direction later, which placed the vessel in danger.

8. MV Sewol, South Korea

This ferry sank on April 16, 2014, while sailing from Incheon to Jeju. Though it sent a help signal, out of the 476 people, 304 died and 172 were rescued. Among the dead were 250 children who studied at Ansan’s Danwon High School.

Most were saved by fishing vessels that reached the scene before the Korea Coast Guard.

This incident caused massive upheaval in South Korea. Ultimately, the captain and crew were charged with murder and 11 other crew members were punished for abandoning the vessel. An arrest warrant was issued for the owner of the operating company but he could not be found.

Sewol carried 2142 tonnes of cargo though her maximum capacity was 987 tonnes. The ballast tanks were not maintained properly and the operators did not undertake safety training for the crew, all of which led to this disaster.

9. MS Herald of Free Enterprise, Belgium

This RORO ferry sank a few minutes after it left the Zeebrugge Port in Belgium on March 6, 1987, resulting in 193 deaths.

The 8-deck ferry was constructed for swift loading and unloading operations on the busy and competitive route between Dover and Calais.

It was designed without watertight compartments which was common during that time. It left the harbour with an open bow door which flooded her decks, leading to her sinking.

The assistant boatswain was blamed as he was sleeping when he should have closed the bow door. Supervisors should also have been careful and proper communication could have saved lives. Since then, improvements have been made in the design of ferries.

10. MV Princess Victoria, North Channel

This ferry sank in a strong windstorm in the North Channel on January 31, 1953, taking the lives of 135 people.

It happened when its stern doors were burst open by the strong winds and rough seas, just 120 minutes after it left Port of Stranraer, Scotland for Larne, carrying 127 guests and 49 crew members.

This led to the flooding of the car decks and a severe list to the starboard side. As its cargo moved and water levels increased, the list grew and though it sent many distress calls, the rescue was delayed because of the weather.

The engine room flooded and most lifeboats couldn’t be launched. A lifeboat with women and children overturned near the ship.

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About Author

Zahra is an alumna of Miranda House, University of Delhi. She is an avid writer, possessing immaculate research and editing skills. Author of several academic papers, she has also worked as a freelance writer, producing many technical, creative and marketing pieces. A true aesthete at heart, she loves books a little more than anything else.

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