BY Philippine News Agency
Apr 21, 2023 07:23 AM
ZAMBOANGA CITY (PNA) – Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) personnel have rescued 85 commercial ferry boat passengers, including five babies, off Maigo, Lanao del Norte, the local PCG station said on Friday, April 21.
In a statement, PCG-Maigo Station said passengers aboard MV Filipinas Cebu were rescued after the vessel ran aground at Maigo Point around 6 p.m. on Thursday, April 20, as it sailed to Ozamiz City, Misamis Occidental from Lanao del Norte.
The rescued passengers were safely ferried aboard tugboat Focson Diamond going to the PCG-Maigo Station.
Responding PCG personnel were accompanied by a team from the PCG Marine Environmental Protection Unit (MEPU) to conduct an immediate oil spill assessment.
“Based on the oil spill assessment of MEPU personnel, there was no presence of oil sheen in the area,” PCG-Maigo said, adding its personnel have installed oil spill booms around the ferry as a proactive measure.
Meanwhile, the PCG in Basilan is continuously assisting in the salvage operations to remove MV Lady Mary Joy 3 from the shore of Baluk-Baluk Island in Hadji Muhtamad town.
The Aleson Shipping Lines which owns the vessel is leading the salvage operation. The vessel caught fire at about 11:30 p.m. on March 29 near Baluk-Baluk Island while sailing to Sulu from Zamboanga City.
