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Thursday, August 25, 2005
Cargo vessel runs aground in bad weather off Hagnaya
A cargo-laden passenger ship ran aground during bad weather early yesterday morning, leaving it half-submerged off Hagnaya port in northern San Remigio town, Cebu.
No one was hurt among the 23 crewmembers of mv Shuttle Ferry 9, as well as the laborers and drivers of cargo trucks, which were loaded onto the 189-gross-ton vessel, said Cebu Coast Guard (CG) Deputy Chief Lemuel Alquiza.
Trucks
The mv Shuttle Ferry 9, a roll-on-roll-off (roro) ship of Asian Marine Transport, were carrying four six-wheeler trucks loaded with softdrinks and another 10-wheeler truck bearing farm and animal feeds.
The vessel plies the Hagnaya-Sta. Fe, Bantayan route daily.
Alquiza, quoting a report from the Hagnaya-based CG station, said the vessel was about to anchor about half-a-kilometer off Hagnaya port when it ran aground at 4:26 a.m.
He said the vessel, which was scheduled to leave for Sta. Fe town at 6 a.m., had to anchor early away from the port because of low tide.
Like any other vessels plying the Hagnaya-Sta. Fe route, the mv Shuttle Ferry 9 must wait for its passengers at the anchorage site.
In turn, the passengers will be ferried from the Hagnaya port to the ship through a service boat.
But Alquiza said that minutes after the vessel had left the port at 4:13 a.m., it reportedly encountered unfavorable weather condition, causing it to run aground before reaching its anchorage area.
Moments later, the vessel reportedly gradually went down and was last seen half-submerged in Hagnaya’s rough seawaters, Alquiza said.
Damaged
CG authorities believed that the ship’s bottom hull could have been damaged as a result of the impact upon hitting the rocky seabed. The CG has still to check on this possibility.
In the meantime, the Cebu CG ordered Hagnaya port personnel to closely monitor mv Shuttle Ferry 9 for possible oil spill.
Alquiza said it is better that the ship be pulled out soon to prevent oil spill and more damage on its bottom hull and mid-section.
Ship Captain Gene Montesclaros was expected to submit a marine protest detailing the incident to the Maritime Industry Authority. (GC)
(August 25, 2005 issue)
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