The Curse of the Tablas Strait: An Interrogation of Maritime Accidents from 1902-2008

Abstract

When the M.T. Princess Empress sank off the northeast coast of Mindoro 
in the early morning of February 28, 2023, she became yet another
addition to the list of vessels that have met their fate along the treacherous 
Tablas Strait. The unusually large number of disasters that have taken
place in that vicinity, including one of the worst maritime tragedies in
history, has created a contemporary narrative about the existence of the
so-called "Romblon Triangle," which has become the watery grave of
thousands of souls since the beginning of the twentieth century. While
the death toll from the sinkings and collisions that have taken place in
that area is irrefutable, there are logical explanations that could dispel the 
myth about the Tablas Strait being cursed. Hence, this article revisits
official accounts of tragic events that took place in that waterway to
provide analysis that could dispel the myth about the Tablas Strait being
cursed. Regardless, no amount of fact-based historical accounts or even
scientific analysis may be enough to dispel the mysteries and lore about
this waterway, which is among the most heavily traversed in the
archipelago.

Keywords: interisland shipping, maritime disasters, Tablas Strait,
Dona Paz, Romblon Triangle