Doña Paz. The Deadliest Maritime Disaster in Peacetime - Gordon J. MacKenzie

On 20 December 1987, a routine overnight ferry crossing in the Philippines became the deadliest peacetime maritime disaster in history.

More than 4,000 passengers boarded the Doña Paz, many unrecorded, many travelling home for Christmas. Hours later, in the darkness of the Tablas Strait, the ferry collided with the oil tanker MT Vector. Within minutes, the sea itself was on fire.

What followed was not just a shipwreck, but a systemic failure on an unimaginable scale.

This gripping, deeply researched account reconstructs the full tragedy:

But this is more than a disaster story.

It is a powerful examination of how systems fail, how warnings are ignored, and how ordinary people bear the cost when safety becomes routine compromise.

Written in a clear, compelling narrative style, DOÑA PAZ is a haunting and unforgettable account of one of the worst maritime tragedies ever recorded.