THE Maritime Industry Authority (Marina)-Central Visayas has suspended the operation of a new vessel, MV Fastcat M11, after it ran aground at the vicinity of Cebu-Mactan Channel-south entrance on Friday, July 7.
Marnina-Central Visayas Director Jose Venancio A. Vero Jr. said the suspension of the passenger ship safety certificate (PSSC) of MV Fastcat M11 shall remain effective and may be reinstated after a satisfactory result of a survey and/or evaluation of all available data surrounding the incident.
The Catamaran-type vessel, which was bound for Tubigon in Bohol, ran aground at 5 p.m. last Friday due to the low tide.
The four-engine MV Fastcat M11 of Archipelago Philippine Ferries Corporation, managed to get off using its own power during the high tide and headed back to Tubigon on the same day.
Cdr. Dionilett Ampil of the Philippine Coast Guard Cebu Station said they received a call that mv Fastcat M11 ran aground.
All the passengers are now safe after they were rescued by PCG-Bohol.
Archipelago operations officer Oliver Pulangco told Marina that 45 passengers, including an infant, 26 crew and seven rolling cargoes were on board.
Lucio Lim Jr., president of the Visayan Association of Ferryboat and Coastwise Service Operators, said that this is an example that a new vessel is not a guarantee for the passengers’ safety.
“We will conduct an investigation once we will receive a marine protest,” Marina Legal Officer Jose Cabatingan told Lim. (EOB)