Search and rescue continue for missing passengers of MV Maharlika Dos
Around 29 survivors rescued by MV Maharlika 4 arrived at Lipata Port
in Surigao City at around 10.30 p.m. Saturday, three of them injured
and immediately transported to the hospital. (INQUIRER PHOTO/JUN
CLERIGO)
Huge waves and strong winds resulted in sea tragedies over the weekend.
A 44-year-old fisherman from barangay Luyang in Carmen town has been reported missing. Steban Luna Jabilles sailed despite bad weather last Friday and has since then failed to return home.
SPO4 Silplicio Gibo of the Carmen Police Office said Jabilles fishing boat may have sunk in the sea waters in between barangay Luyang and Camotes Island.
In the Surigao Strait, search and rescue teams have continued looking for missing passengers of the roll-on, roll-off ferry MV Maharlika Dos which sank early Saturday night in the waters between Southern Leyte and Surigao del Norte.
Commander Armand Balilo, spokesman of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said that of the 116 persons reportedly on board the ill-fated ship, “110 have been rescued while there were three confirmed fatalities.”
The MV Maharlika Dos left the port of Lipata in Surigao City bound for Maasin, Southern Leyte around 12 noon last Saturday. Three hours later, ship captain Juan Cagayo ordered the ship abandoned after it encountered steering problems amid the very rough seas.
“The vessel had no problems during inspection conducted before its departure,” said Lt. Commander Elezier Danlay, spokesperson of the PCG Northern Mindanao District.
A ferry from Cebu City bound for Surigao City rescued two passengers from the ill-fated ship in the Surigao Strait.
MV Filipinas Maasin of Cokaliong Shipping Lines, Inc. rescued the two passengers from the ill-fated ship at 7:54 a.m. yesterday.
Four other civilian sea vessels joined the rescue efforts, the MV Maharlika Cuatro and three foreign ships MV Orient King 1, MV Lara Venture and MV St. Martin.
The Philippine Navy’s Patrol Gunboat 379 also joined the rescue efforts which resulted in minimal casualties.
Another ship of Cokaliong Shipping Lines, the MV Filipinas Dumaguete bound for Cebu City had to return to the Lipata port of Surigao City last Saturday evening because of huge waves and strong winds.
Its passengers were taken by MV Filipinas Maasin which sailed from Surigao City to Cebu City last night, said Chester Cokaliong, chief operating officer of Cokaliong Shipping Lines, Inc.
Enerva Canasa, one of the passengers of the MV Filipinas Dumaguetesaid the ship captain announced that they are going back to the Surigao City port because of the bad weather.
“Kusog kaayo ang balod mura me ug giduyan,” she told CDN.
(The waves were so strong, it felt like we were swinging.)
Search and rescue
Citing a report of the Coast Guard station in Cagayan de Oro City, Balilo also disclosed that three children – two boys and a girl – were among the survivors in the ship sinking.
The kids were “brought to an unnamed hospital in Surigao City. They were among 34 persons rescued by the crew of the MV Maharlika Cuatro,” a sister ship of the ill-fated Maharlika Dos, said the PCG officer.
In a phone interview, Balilo said they would look into reports that nearly two dozen passengers – mostly drivers and conductors of the 13 vehicles the ship was also carrying – were not listed on the vessel’s manifest.
“All persons on board the ship should automatically be listed in the manifest,” he pointed out.
NO GALE WARNING
He disputed a radio report that the MV Maharlika Dos still sailed despite a gale warning issued by the weather bureau.
“No public storm warning had been issued for that particular area (before the vessel left Lipata port in Surigao City for Liloan port in Southern Leyte),” he said.
Before it sank, the vessel “managed to send a distress call when its engines stalled and the ship went dead on the water.”
The command “promptly alerted its stations in the area, as well as sent notices to passing mariners to come to the ship’s rescue,” he added.
The ship’s skipper was able to declare abandon ship before the vessel sank (at around 7 p.m.).
MARINE PROTEST
Danlay told Cebu Daily News that as of 3 p.m. yesterday, the ship master has not submitted yet his marine protest to the PCG.
“As of the moment, everyone is still focused on the search and rescue of the passengers but the ship captain should submit it as soon as possible,” he told CDN.
When asked if there would be an investigation and intervention from Special Board of Marine Inquiry (SBMI) he said, “Meron naman talagang investigation pag may incident but about SBMI I can’t comment muna sa ngayon.” (There will be an investigation on the incident.)
Danlay also could not ascertain yet if there were passengers that are not included in the ship’s manifesto.
As of the moment, PCG could not trace if there is an oil spill from the ill-fated MV Maharlika Dos.
The ill-fated ship Maharlika Dos was launched at the Philippine Dockyard Corp. in Bataan in November 1983. It is operated by Harbor Philippine Shipping Company.
NO TRAVEL ADVISORY
In Cebu, PCG Station chief, Commander Rodolfo Villajuan said there is no suspension of sea travels yesterday.
“Since wala tayong signal ingatan lang ang pag byahe pag malaki ang alon at malakas ang hangin.
Pag hindi talaga kaya hindi na magbyahe para iwas sa sa mga sea mishaps,” Villajuan further said.
(Since we do not have a storm signal, sea voyagers are asked to be cautious of big waves and strong winds. If they think it is really difficult, they are advised to reschedule their trips.)
Related Story:
MV Maharlika 2 ferry was ‘old,’ ‘rusty,’ say survivor, PPA official
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