Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) personnel stationed in San Francisco town in Camotes Island deployed motorbancas to transport stranded passengers to the Consuelo port. | PCG-7 Photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines – A total of 311 passengers were brought to safety after the vessel which they boarded for the Consuelo port in San Francisco town in Camotes Island ran aground shortly before reaching its destination.
Lieutenant First Grade Michael John Encina, information officer of Philippine Coast Guard in Central Visayas (PCG-7), said that the auxiliary engine of MV Mika Mari 3 of Jomalia Shipping tripped causing the vessel to ran aground 200 meters away from the port area at around 7:45 a.m. today, October 27, 2019.
MV Mika Mari 3 left the port of Danao City in mainland Cebu at 5:30 a.m. with 311 passengers and 23 rolling cargoes.
MV Mika Mari 3 of Jomalia Shipping ran aground 200 meters away from the Consuelo port in San Francisco town in Camotes Island. | PCG-7 Photo
Encina said that PCG-7 immediately alerted its personnel that were stationed in the San Francisco town to conduct rescue operations.
Motorbancas were deployed to ferry the stranded passengers to the Consuelo port.
Encina said that all of the 311 passengers safety reached the port area.
He said that the ship captain of MV Mika Mari 3 also managed to maneuver the vessel and dock it at the Consuelo port an hour after it ran aground. / dcb
All of the 311 passengers of MV Mika Mari 3 safely reached San Francisco town in Camotes Island. | PCG-7 Photo