The sad news of another passenger ship sinking is dismaying. Is it a ?culture of carelessness? that allows vessels to sail even when they aren?t equipped with enough life jackets and rafts? And of course, ferries are never ?overloaded.?

I took a trip from Cagayan de Oro City to Jagna, Bohol a few months back. My two friends and I had a cabin to ourselves?or so we thought as there was a vacant bed. But sure enough, at the last minute, a man came in to occupy it. But it wasn?t just him; he came with his wife, his wife?s sister, their children and all their luggage. But nobody complained, because after all, there?s ?always room for one more.?

If passenger airplanes crash as regularly as passenger boats sink or meet accidents, the airline industry would soon grind to a halt, because no one would have any confidence left to fly, all protestations of flying as being ?safer? than driving to the contrary.

If the shipping lines put safety and maintenance above profit, people would enjoy traveling by ship, instead of wondering whether they?d be playing Russian roulette?again. Even if the shipping lines insist on putting people first, they?d still make profits?the two are not mutually exclusive.

?WALTER P. KOMARNICKI,
Block 10 Lot 19,
Scions Kauswagan,
Cagayan de Oro City 9000