Vicki Penwell Survives Ferry Sinking in Philippine Seas

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Yes, you read right.

Here is what happened. I left White Beach alone to go to Manila and meet the Medic team coming back from outreach the day after our island was pounded by the second big typhoon since December 1st. Scott put me on the boat, and we both wondered aloud to each other about how many people were boarding…I was one of the last on, and had a very crowded seat up front. Turns out the boat was built to hold around 80 and they put 104 people on. We headed out in the ocean for the hour and 20 minute crossing to Luzon Island, where Manila is located.

This is the day after the typhoon, and even though the coast guard was allowing crossings, the seas were still very rough. This became apparent when we began hitting pretty big waves within minutes of leaving shore, and the boatload of people began screaming with each rise and fall of the boat over the rough seas. Then people around me began to throw up…waves were washing up into the boat and drenching people.

About 45 minutes into the trip I heard a very loud sharp crack, like wood splintering. Five minutes later there was another loud crack like a gunshot, and the boat engine cut out. What had happened was the outrigger had snapped and the second crack was the sound of the fractured bamboo pole puncturing through the hull of the boat. Everyone stood up and began to panic, grabbing life vests from the racks above. I was in the front; all the racks with life vests were in the middle and back section. All around me were people standing up screaming to be passed a life vest, or pushing and shoving to get to where they could get one.

I determined right away that I was not going to fight anyone for a life vest, that I would choose then and there to give up my rights so that others could live, the motto I have tried to live my life by. So I sat calmly while panic ensued around me; water rapidly rose and within 10 minutes the inside of the boat was full of water and sinking fast. Kind of sad, there was no chivalry from the men around me, each person was fighting to get their life vests, grabbing and pushing and it was absolute chaos. I decided to wait to get a life vest after all the other passengers had theirs, or until someone handed me one. It didn't happen; the boat was overloaded and there turned out to be enough life vests for every passenger except the three crew members, and me.

I allowed the panicked crowd to push past me as the boat was taking on water fast, I determined to not push anyone to save myself. I realized everyone thought they might die

when I saw them abandoning their bags and their backpacks and purses…people do not let go of their stuff unless they are saving their own lives.

I had time to take my phone out and try to call Scott, the connection was bad and he could not hear me, so I sent off a quick text message; it said, "sinking, I love you". I knew it would freak him out, but I didn't know what else to do! If I died I wanted him to know my last thoughts were ones of love toward him.

I was the last one off the boat and had to swim out through the opening in the side. Once outside everyone was clinging to the outriggers, I thought the boat would sink all the way, but because the outriggers were bamboo, it only sunk to the roof, and we could still hold on while we waited to be rescued. At this point the real danger became the heavy swells that beat down upon us and smashed us over and over again into the submerged boat. I am pretty bruised up from that. And waves would wash over me and swamp me with diesel water and I would sputter back up, all the while trying to keep my grip. The diesel along with the salt water stung my eyes pretty much. With each wave that hit I would also find myself entangled in rope, and remembered that Scott said that was how so many fishermen in Alaska died, so I would quickly try to free myself before the next wave washed over me.

Besides trying to comfort a woman near me that was crying, there was not much I could really do to help anyone, we all were just trying not to get washed away from the capsized hull we were clinging to. After about a half hour a crew member realized I had no life vest and produces one for me from somewhere; I must say I was relieved to take it, and since the crew was on top of the roof of the boat, I knew no one else's life would be lost in the process of saving mine, so I was glad to have it.

We treaded water for over an hour before boats got there to rescue us.

The rescue operation itself was an entirely scary matter. I hadn't realized before how dangerous it was to try to get out of water in stormy seas and into another boat. A 25 passenger speed boat came up close and people were trying to jump from the roof of our sunken boat, but each wave would slam the boat into the side of the sunken boat, and I feared someone would be smashed and killed by being caught into between the two boats. I did not relish the idea of getting rescued that way, it looked so dangerous and scary. At this time, as people were pushing to get in position to get rescued, I heard the first honorable thing, when a man yelled at the men to stop trying to get in, and he said "babaes!", which means women first! That boat left when it had 25 on board, and the rest of us were then instructed to try and swim to one of two other ferry boats that had now arrived and were waiting a ways away, not wanting to get too close for fear of the waves slamming them into the sunken boat and endangering the passengers still in the water. I had to swim in the rough seas, finally getting close enough for them to throw a rope to me, and then I had to cling to the bamboo outriggers, bucking up and down in the rough waters, and climb up the slippery poles (I was wet and greasy with diesel fuel). After being in the water that long, my arms and legs felt like jelly, and it was really hard to crawl up far enough for hands to reach down and pull me the rest of the way into the boat. This is how all of the rest of us got out of the water.

After everyone was in and as much luggage as they could rescue from the ocean was pulled up, we headed into Batangas. That last 30 minutes felt like longer because I was very nauseated and very cold now. A group of young adult Filipinos realized I was alone and came over and were very kind to me, asking if I was okay and was I traveling alone

(something Filipinos never do is travel anywhere alone!) I had my eyes closed trying hard not to throw up, and one of the young men sat by me and held my hand! It was really so sweet, I felt like I was without my sons there with me at that time, so God sent someone to be kind and take care of me like a son would. When I began to shiver he brought me a sheet and even got me water to drink.

When we got to the dock, an ambulance was there and camera crews were filming us, we were a bedraggled lot! The Philippine Red Cross came and handed out dry clothes, and my new friends shared a candy bar with me. I was loving the fact that after 15 years of me giving out food and clothing to poor Filipinos, now I was the one in need and Filipinos were giving me food and clothing!

They had medical checkups available, and phones for us to call our families on. The trouble was, I had never memorized anyone's number, as they are all programmed into my cell phone, which was in my pocket totally waterlogged so of course would not work. So I could not call Scott and tell him I was ok. He and Ian were beside themselves wondering if I was dead that whole time. They both admitted to crying many tears thinking I may be dead and being so so worried during that long time they waited to find out if I had survived.

Really the whole thing was a miracle. Usually when ferry's sink here, which happens somewhere in the Philippines about once every year or so, there are some casualties, and this time everyone on board was rescued. Also it was a blessing there were no children on board, nor any really elderly or handicapped people. So, even though everybody dies someday, and we must all be prepared at a moments notice to die, still and yet, yesterday was not my day to go after all! God must still have work for me to do. I was glad to know that I felt calm and at peace as I faced the possibility of death, and I was able to give up my rights and try to help others rather than scratch and claw to survive. I only feel so bad knowing that Scott and Ian and Rose and the rest of my dear friends here did not known if I was dead or alive for 7 hours!

We are all back together today, appreciating each other more than ever, and thankful for life itself.

I did however lose my waist pack full of money…the waves ripped it off my waist as I fought to stay afloat in the rough seas. I was carrying money for team expenses to Manila, and lost over $3,000 of Mercy In Action's money. Now that I have survived I feel pretty bad about losing all that money.

So that is my adventure, it was a little like being in a disaster film, like Titanic only on a smaller scale, and the water was not so cold!

I love you all, and will send our Christmas newsletter to you all when

I am rested up a bit. I am really ok, just a few cuts and bruises.

Love and blessings

Vicki