Passengers, crew taken to safety as strong waves, winds batter ships

The MV Joyful Stars and the MV Subic Bay marooned near the shores of Lapu-Lapu City. (CDN PHOTO/ NORMAN V. MENDOZA)

A passenger ferry and a cargo vessel both ran aground along Bantolinao Point in Lapu-Lapu City within  Mactan Channel late Wednesday evening and at dawn yesterday.

Strong winds and waves caused the ships to drift toward the shallow area , just 15 meters apart, and eventually run aground, said Cebu Coast Guard Station Commander Rodolfo Villajuan.

The MV Joyful Stars 1 of Roble Shipping Lines left Maasin, Leyte at 4 p.m. Wednesday when it got stuck along the breakwater while approaching the Bantolinao lighthouse in Mactan Channel at 11:21 p.m.

All 254 passengers and 72 crew were rescued by tugboats which brought them to the porter Yacht Club in Liloan town yesterday afternoon. They were later given free transportation to their destinations.

The ship was supposed to arrive in Cebu at 2 a.m. yesterday.

At 12:44 a.m. the cargo vessel MV Subic Bay 1 owned by Gothong Shipping Lines Inc. also ran aground 15 meters away from the MV Joyful Stars 1.

MV Subic Bay 1 with 51 crew members left Nasipit port in Butuan City at 2:31 p.m. Wednesday and was scheduled to arrive in Cebu at 4 a.m.

TRANSFER

In a separate incident, the Coast Guard reported that all 90 passengers of M/V Our Lady of All Nations were safe and rescued after it ran aground at Danajon Bank in Bohol province while it was headed to Cebu. A TV report said the vessel came from Bato, Leyte.

Coast Guard and Philippine Navy vessels were initially unable to transfer the Joyful Stars’ passengers due to the strong waves and winds, Coast Guard Central Visayas commander William Melad said.

“If we used bigger vessels to transfer the passengers it may make the job more difficult so we used smaller boats during the rescue,” Melad said.

The Coast Guard eventually managed to transfer the passengers to another vessel that ferried them to Porter Yacht Pier Club in Liloan town, northern Cebu.

STRANDED

Among the passengers was 24-year-old Editha Ybañez, of barangay Marangog, Hilongos, Leyte.

She and other passengers wanted to spend the Sinulog festivities with their loved ones.

Ybañez’s sister lives in barangay Labangon, Cebu City.

She said the rocking of the waves made her nauseous and dizzy like other passengers.

“It was the first time that I got stranded. It was like riding a roller coaster,” she said.

Ybañez said the crew provided them dinner and the rest of their meals.

Passengers of MV Joyful Stars were rescued from the ship after it ran aground off Lapu-Lapu City. Another vessel MV Subic Bay 1 also ran aground Wednesday dawn. (CDN PHOTO/ TONEE DESPOJO)

THANKFUL

A couple from St. Bernard, Southern Leyte was traveling with their 4-year-old grandson.

Elias and Flora Bohol were heading to Cebu for the Fiesta Señor to thank the Sto. Niño after they survived typhoon Yolanda.

“There are many things to be thankul for and one of them is that we are still alive today,” Elias said.

“I will also pray to the Sto. Niño for safety travel as we go back to our hometown after the Sinulog,” Flora said.

The couple will stay with a relative in barangay T. Padilla.

MARINE PROTESTS

Jasper Roble, vice president of Roble Shipping’s engineering department, said their company will address concerns of the passengers.

Melad of the Coast Guard said they still have to check contents of 54 container vans inside the MV Subic Bay 1.The crew were all safe.

The ship captain of MV Joyful Stars 1, Alexander Cañete, and the skipper of MV Subic Bay 1 Mariano Vilarias have tosubmit their marine protests.

Jose Cabatingan, regional spokesman of the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina), said the vessels would stay grounded until they undergo inspection.

RELATED STORY:

Passenger, cargo vessels stranded off Mactan channel