A very good point Isabelle; I think the reasons you suggest are a;; quite likely and I do indeed recall reading a small report in the Evening Standard once - note, a small report - saying that a Phillipine ferry had gone down and well over 5000 had been killed in that instance.
Nearly four times the toll of the Titanic, and almost totally ignored; there was even less coverage in the dailies than there was in the standard - a single small paragraph in some cases.
I think it is probably this one http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dona_Paz that I remember from that report, in which case the early estimates of 5000+ seem to have been lowered to an actual figure of 4375. But that is still incredibly high to have gone un-noticed.
This site http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/news-shipwrecks-resulted-most-casualties-history lists a few particularly bad disasters, including the above one, and pointing out that the official toll is lower at 1,565 although it is obvious that nobody believes that figure - even if correct it is still higher than that of the Titanic.
Peter and Isabelle
The dreadful disaster in the Philippines just before Christmas was reported here:#21
The numbers of people affected were reported to be much higher nearer to Christmas.
https://www.theqe2story.com/forum/index.php/topic,2389.0.htmlI'm not so sure that it (Costa Concordia) will be regarded in the fullness of time as 'more important than other catastrophes''. Although it's an eye-catching media story involving so much 'personal' as well as commercial interest, and not forgetting the considerable degree of the 'envy factor' that goes hand-in-hand with anything associated with the business of cruise-ships and shipping. These things aren't necessarily the first things that people immediately associate with cargo ships, tankers and ferries. Having said that, the Rena off NZ N Island has attracted world-wide media interest - mainly because of the potential pollution in a part of the world that is completely unspoilt.
Having links with seafarers on the Islands, I understand that it was once again, the less fortunate people that suffered most.
Cunard support an orphanage on one of the islands where Filipino children are cared for.
Historically, some of whom, as they have grown up, have chosen to work on board Cunard's ships.
Wishing I could remember it's name and where it is- sorry!
Whenever 'happenings' at sea are mentioned, this link shows more about how many are involved in disasters etc
http://seafarertimes.com/2011-12/index.phpBtw - you might find this of interest too
David Bacon's account is here.
http://dbacon.igc.org/Phils/07Seafarer.htmRosie