A motorbanca was washed ashore in Daanbantayan town, north of Cebu. Marce made a landfall in Daanbantayan at 1:30 a.m. on Friday. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/STEPHEN KING DE DIOS)
Strong waves brought about by tropical storm Marce early Friday morning caused the line securing a passenger vessel to the Sta. Fe port to snap, causing it to drift and ran aground in Hilantagaan Island, an island 3.5 km from the port in Sta. Fe town in Bantayan Island northern Cebu.
Ensign Melton Ngalew, deputy commander of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in Cebu, said that MV Super Shuttle Ferry 3 of Asian Marine Transport Corp., was undergoing repairs of its propeller, and had taken shelter at the Sta. Fe port from the storm when the incident happened.
“The vessel’s knot (the rope securing the vessel to the port) was cut because of the strong waves and winds,” Ngalew said in a phone interview.
The 12 crew members and officers and ship captain, Nick Aroming, who were aboard the ship when the it ran aground, were safe.
According to the state weather bureau, storm Marce made landfall at Bantayan Island early Friday morning.
Ngalew said the Coast Guard is coordinating with the Sta. Fe town officials for the safe removal of the ship from Hilantagaan Island.