Investigation revealed that an engine failure started due to the explosion of the starboard’s engine fuel line, while the port side presented a leakage, the PCG informed.
The Coast Guard Sub-Station (CGSS) Daram received a phone call from the captain of the vessel, informing that they encountered engine trouble, while transiting the vicinity off Barangay Astorga bound for Barangay Poblacion.
Shortly after, the team arrived at the incident area and conducted towing operations.
The passengers were safely disembarked from the ill-fated vessel, which was safely docked at Barangay Poblacion.
One day later, the Philippine Coast Guard had to evacuate a total of 149 passengers and 18 crew members from the cargo ship 'Mika Mari 8', after it listed heavily while at Port of Consuelo, Cebu.
This comes less than a week after the RoRo ship 'Lite Ferry 16' caught fire while at sea off Dapitan City, south Philippines, resulting in four dead and dozens missing.
Maritime casualties are a regular phenomenon in the Philippines. On 3 August, three passenger motorboats capsized off the city Iloilo, Panay, killing 31 passengers.
