|
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
Cebu-based ship sinks off Palawan
By Elias O. Baquero
CEBU CITY -- Fourteen Cebuano crew-members are missing while four others were rescued after a cargo vessel owned by JPS Shipping Lines capsized last Friday in Cabile Island between Tubbataha and Cagayancillo Islands in Palawan.
JPS manager Gallegher Gallarde said they sought help from the Philippine Coast Guard and the Philippine Navy after they lost contact with the vessel, mv Mia, last September 28.
Join forum on Sandiganbayan's guilty verdict on Estrada plunder case. Post comments here.
It was only Monday that the management got confirmation that mv Mia sunk, when a fishing boat, fb Alester, informed them that they rescued four crewmembers. One of them is in critical condition.
Gallarde said mv Mia left San Fernando, Cebu last September 26 with 18 personnel on board—six officers and 12 crew members. The ship was carrying 880 metric tons (about 22,000 bags) of cement from Taheiyo Cement Corp.
The vessel is valued at P15 million while the cement is estimated to cost more than P3 million.
The cement was to be delivered to EEI Engineering Equipment at Brooke’s Point, Palawan where a project is ongoing.
Gallarde said they are hoping crew members will be rescued by the Coast Guard and Navy.
Ship captain Renato Dongallo, also a Cebuano, is among those missing.
Monday afternoon, the families of the missing crew trooped to the JPS office and cried upon learning that the vessel sunk.
Gallarde said that the vessel was expected to arrive in Palawan at 6 a.m. on September 28. But the captain sent a message at about 3:55 p.m. last September 28 that their time of arrival will be 1 p.m. of September 29 instead.
No reason was given for the change.
He said his office communicated with mv Mia again but they lost contact with the captain and all crewmembers, most of whom had mobile phones.
“We thought they just took shelter somewhere and had no signal because of typhoon Hannah. What we did was to contact the cement consignee to help locate the vessel,” Gallarde said.
He said it was only Monday when fb Alester of Irma Fishing Corp. informed them that they had rescued four crewmembers from the ship.
JPS Shipping has three cargo vessels. The company is a member of the United Trampers Association of the Philippines.
Lt. Sgt. Paolo Z. Abejuela of the Philippine Coast Guard Visayas Command said their central office in Manila is coordinating with other agencies in the rescue operation to find the rest of the crew.
Director Glenn Cabañez of the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) 7 said his office will investigate the incident.
Marina 7 marine specialist Mardon Martin said JPS Shipping should file a marine protest because an investigation will start. (Sun.Star Cebu)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Cebu. (October 2, 2007 issue)
Write letter to the editor. Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here. |
|
|
|
[return to top]
[home]
|
|
Abalos resigns, to sue detractors