PCG asks ship skippers in Mactan Channel mishap to submit marine protest in 24 hours

The skippers of the two shipping companies involved in a sea mishap along Mactan Channel have been directed by the Philippine Coast Guard Cebu Station (PCG Cebu) to submit their respective marine protest within 24 hours.

Commander Dionlett Ampil of PCG Cebu said he will also set this week a meeting with the ship captains of St. Braquiel, which is owned by 2Go, and SMC Barge 8, which is owned by San Miguel Corporation, for the incident that resulted to the injury of 49 persons, four of whom are now confined in government hospitals in the city.

The 45 passengers of St. Braquiel who sustained minor injuries have all gone home, ship captain Reniero Maurin, the skipper of St. Braquiel, earlier reports said.

Ampil said they still have to determine of the incident, which happened past 10 p.m. Saturday along the Mactan Channel, can be declared a collision.

“When we say collision, two vessels are moving. As of now, the only thing that we established is the passenger vessel was about to dock here in Cebu,” he said.

Ampil is set to hold a press conference at 2 p.m. today to give an update into the PCG’s investigation into the mishap.

St. Braquiel, which came from Ormoc City, was heading towards the port in Cebu City when it hit a barge owned by SMC that was being pulled by a tugboat, PSC Matatag.

The injured passengers, who were among the 90 persons on board St. Braquiel, were rescued by vessels owned by 2Go and brought to Pier 4 in Cebu City where they treated of their injuries by waiting emergency personnel from the Cebu city government and from the volunteer group Emergency Response Rescue Foundation (ERUF).