Super Ferry Sinking Could Have Been Worse

When I saw the news items about the Super Ferry 9 that sank in southern Philippines, I feared the worst. Especially when I learned that the boat had carried almost 1,000 passengers.

After the ferry went down on Sunday, the Philippine coast guard and various vessels came together to engineer the rescue of 958 people. The latest survivor was found and pulled from the water 30 hours after the incident. Nine passengers were killed; in some reports, one is still unaccounted for.

While I’m not trivializing the deaths of the nine, and the tragedy that has descended upon their families, I am thankful that the majority of passengers are safe. It could have been worse. The sinking could have happened at night, during a storm, out in the open sea, in shark-infested waters, and so on.

Maybe it is the quick thinking of the captain and crew that minimized the number of casualties. Maybe it is the slow sinking of the ship. Maybe the proximity of other vessels. Whatever it is, there are things to be thankful for even in such a tragedy.

A prayer of comfort goes out to the grieving families, and one of gratitude for those who survived.