A JOMALIA ferry carrying 311 passengers and 23 vehicles, including three multi-wheeler trucks, ran aground as it approached the port of Consuelo in the Camotes Islands, Cebu on Sunday, October 27, 2019.

A total of 330 people, 311 passengers and 19 crew members, made it to shore safely. They were moved to another boat.

Lieutenant First Grade Michael John Encina, Philippine Coast Guard Central Visayas information officer, said the auxiliary engine of MV Mika Mari 3 tripped off, causing it to run aground at 200 meters to the Consuelo Port.

He said the Coast Guard Sub Station (CGSS) San Francisco received a distress call from MV Mika Mari at 7:45 a.m.

MV Mika Mari 3, a roll on/roll off passenger ship owned by Jomalia Shipping, left the port of Danao City for Camotes at 5:30 a.m.

The vessel carried 311 passengers and 23 rolling cargoes including two-ten wheeler trucks; one-six wheel vehicles; nine-four wheel vehicles and 11 motorcycles.

At 7:50 a.m the CGSS Consuelo deployed motor bancas to ferry the stranded passengers to port 5. All the passengers reached the port safely, Encina said.

He also said that the ship captain, Larry Sacedon, managed to maneuver the aground vessel and dock it at the Port of Consuelo an hour after. (WBS)