Vessel runs aground off Dumaguete

CEBU CITY (11:26 a.m.) -- A ferry boat reportedly coming from Zamboanga City ran aground off the port of Dumaguete threatening 228 passengers on board after failing to dock due to strong winds and huge waves Thursday morning.

In a radio interview, an eye witness said that M/V Zamboanga Ferry of the George and Peter Lines was already maneuvering to dock when the engines stopped because of strong winds and waves brought about by the Low Pressure Area (LPA) and northeast monsoon (amihan).

The vessel was carried away from the port and is now approximately 40 meters from the adjacent Dumaguete Boulevard, the witness added.

Passengers of the ferry were already panicking while bystanders and relatives of passengers trooped to the Dumaguete port watching helplessly at the vessel.

According to a radio report, the vessel’s passengers are already in the state of panic as huge waves and strong winds continue to batter the vessel for two hours now as of this posting.

Rescue personnel and the Philippine Coast Guard scramble to get the passengers to safety. They are still trying to figuring whether to tow the vessel or deploy safety rafts considering the huge waves. (Sunnex)