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MANILA, Philippines - The Board of Marine Inquiry (BMI) on Thursday closed its investigation into the capsizing of MV Princess of the Stars off Sibuyan Island last June 21.

At the end of Thursday’s hearing, BMI chair Rear Admiral Ramon Liwag said the Board is terminating its investigation into the incident, saying the group has gathered enough information to generate its report on the incident.

“We have gathered enough testimonies, documents, resource persons that would help us shed light in the capsizing of Princess of the Stars,” Liwag said.

Liwag said the BMI will submit its report to the Philippine Coast Guard commandant next week. The Coast Guard commandant will then forward the BMI’s report to the Department of Transportation and Communications.

The BMI started its investigation last June 25, four days after the tragedy struck. The probe focused on three main points: whether the craft was seaworthy when it left port; the qualifications of its crew; and the weather conditions at the time the ship left port.

The investigation aims to determine the circumstances that led to the tragedy; who should be held responsible; and what policies must be changed to prevent a repeat of the mishap.

During Thursday’s hearing, a maritime expert said the master of the MV Princess of the Stars may have erred in deciding to push through the vessel’s pre-plotted course which led to the ship’s capsizing at the height of typhoon “Frank.”

Maritime expert Capt. Edwin Itagle admitted that if faced with the same situation, he personally would decide not to push through with the trip and just return back to Manila.

“In principle, no… I might return back to Manila,” Itagle said when asked by BMI chair Rear Admiral Ramon Liwag whether or not he would continue with the pre-plotted course which runs parallel to the typhoon.

Itagle also said the ill-fated vessel’s design is not capable of withstanding a strong typhoon such as typhoon “Frank.”

For his part, a Coast Guard official who likewise testified in the hearing said authorities failed to see any dents or marks of damages such as scratches on the ship’s hull and propeller that would have indicated that the ship ran aground before capsizing.

“We have not seen any dent or damage from the ship as a result of running aground. The ship’s propeller is still intact,” Coast Guard commander Inocencio Rosario said.

Rosario was the team leader of the first team of divers that surveyed the ship shortly after it capsized.

Hundreds of passengers were killed when the ship - owned by Sulpicio Lines, Inc. - capsized off Sibuyan Island.

Only more than 50 passengers and crewmembers - out of the ship’s 866 passengers and crew - were able to survive the sea tragedy. Hundreds remain missing and are believed to be trapped inside the ferry which has yet to be salvaged. - GMANews.TV