The Philippine Coast announced Wednesday the formation of a Special Board of Marine Inquiry that will investigate the sinking of Super Ferry 9.

Pursuant to a directive from Transportation and Communication Sec. Leandro Mendoza, Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo appointed Rear Admiral Alejandro Flora to head the Special Board of Marine Inquiry.

The board is composed of five other officials from maritime industry that will investigate if there is negligence and lapses on the part of the Super Ferry 9 and other authorities involved in the incident.

These officials include Commodore Cecil Chen from the Coast Guard and Director Emerson Lorenzo from Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) as co-vice chairmen, and members Capt. Reynold Sabay, Capt. Tomas Baino (Retired), Engr. Rodelio Lagat, Engr. Diosdado Ramos and Atty. Ramon Reblora.

The board will start the preliminary hearing this Friday. Reblora, official spokesperson of the board, said officers and crew of the Super Ferry 9 will be first to be summoned to undergo investigation.

The board is also set to meet in Iloilo by September 22 to ask the side of some survivors there.

Meanwhile, a DOTC official said Aboitiz should refund those with tickets for the now-grounded SuperFerry fleet.

“They have to take care of the matter,” DoTC Undersecretary Thompson Lantion said, referring to ship owners Aboitiz Transport Systems (ATS) amid reports that SuperFerry tickets were still being sold as of Wednesday.

Lantion said the ATS management should find a way to refund the already-bought tickets since the company’s passenger vessels have been suspended by virtue of a show-cause order served by the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) following the sinking of SuperFerry 9.

The official said that the show-cause order which had been recommended by DoTC also suspends the selling of tickets for the 10-ship fleet. “Wala naman silang biyahe kaya di sila dapat magbenta ng ticket,” explained Lantion.

The affected passenger ships are MV Superferry 1, MV Superferry 2, MV Superferry 5, MV Superferry 12, MV Superferry 19, MV Our Lady of Good Voyage, MV Our Lady of Rule, MV Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, MV Cebu Ferry 1 and MV Cebu Ferry 2.

But Lantion clarified that cargo ships operated by the company would still be allowed to ply their routes as they were not covered by the suspension order.

Carrying over 900 passengers en route to Iloilo, the 7,268-ton SuperFerry 9 capsized off the Zamboanga Peninsula on Sunday morning after spending hours tilted on its right side. At least 10 people died.

As for the length of the suspension, Lantion said it would depend on the progress of Marina’s probe on the tragedy.

“There will be a hearing on September 15. That will continue until ATS complies with the requirements that will come out after the investigation.

The show-cause order will be in effect until further notice.”

While grounded, the Aboitiz ships will have to undergo inspection and management audit to determine their seaworthiness, the official added.