MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported on Monday that the vessel M/L Lucky Man, which was carrying 55 passengers and crew members, sank off the vicinity of Sibutu Island in Tawi-Tawi after it experienced engine trouble and was flooded at sea.
Reports reaching the Coast Guard Action Center (CGAC) in Manila showed that the M/L Lucky Man, a cargo and passenger vessel, was traversing Bongao town in Tawi-Tawi, when it drew water inside and capsized.
According to Coast Guard Public Affairs chief Lieutenant Commander Armando Balilo, the vessel was towed by M/L Talisay Queen 2, which rendered assistance to the troubled vessel.
Fortunately for the passengers, the M/L Talisay Queen 2 vessel happened to pass by the area and plucked them from the M/L Lucky Man before it sank Sunday afternoon. It was also the Philippine Navy vessel PG-381, which came to the aid for the sinking vessel, transferred the survivors to safety.
All of the 55 passengers and crew members of the troubled vessel were rescued after the ship’s captain asked for help from maritime authorities.
As per actual inspection, the M/L Lucky Man was already half submerged below sea level then eventually sank.
The PCG has asked the vessel’s crewmembers to submit a report regarding the incident.
Recently, collision incident in the open sea has been occurring with regularity, with some resulting to deaths.
Last June, one fisherman died while three others were rescued after their fishing vessel was rammed by a still unidentified foreign ship off the coast of Bolinao, Pangasinan.
Four other fishermen have remained missing.
The PCG has called off rescue operat ions af ter three weeks of futile search.
Source: mb.com.ph
