A TORNADO-LIKE disturbance is most likely to blame for the tragic fate of a dive yacht that departed from San Remigio town, Cebu, and sank in the waters of Palawan on April 30, 2023.
This was the revelation of the Philippine Coast Guard in Central Visayas (PCG 7) as they continue to investigate the incident and look for the four missing individuals who were among the 32 passengers and crew of the m/y Dream Keeper.
The other 28 passengers and crew were already rescued after the yacht sank in the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park (TRNP).
Stephen Pagcaliwagan, spokesman of the Philippine Coast Guard Central Visayas, said they are looking at a squall as the probable cause of the incident based on collected statements from the survivors of the maritime mishap.
“Ang initial probable cause — but still ongoing investigation of the Coast Guard District Palawan — is a weather disturbance. There was a sudden squall, or ipo-ipo sa dagat ilaha gitan-aw,” Pagcaliwagan told SunStar Cebu on Thursday, May 4.
(The probable cause -— though investigation of the CG District Palawan is still ongoing is a weather disturbance—there was a sudden squall or tornado-like phenomenon on the sea.)
A squall is a brief but intense gust of wind or isolated storm that often lasts a few seconds, which the PCG 7 believes was enough to sink the yacht.
Pagcaliwagan clarified, contrary to earlier reports, that only 17 were the actual passengers among the 32 people on board the yacht, while 15 were crew members.
No passengers
He also revealed that when the dive yacht left San Remigio town in Cebu last Thursday, April 27 around 1 p.m., it was carrying only the 15 crew members.
“When it departed Cebu, it was not carrying any passengers, but only the crew members of the yacht,” Pagcaliwagan said in Cebuano.
“The vessel—the motor yacht, reached the port of Puerto Princesa last April 29, 10 at night,” he added.
Pagcaliwagan said the dive yacht started to load passengers when it reached Palawan on Saturday, April 29.
The PCG 7 is still coordinating with the CG District Palawan to confirm whether there were crew members and diver passengers from Cebu on board the yacht during the incident.
The Philippine Navy vessel BRP Carlos Albert (PC-375), along with a PCG vessel, arrived in the waters of Palawan to assist in the search and rescue (SAR) operations on Tuesday, May 2.
Two aluminum boats of the TRNP also joined the operations conducted by two other dive boats, m/y Monsy, and m/v Sport Palau.
The AFP Western Command has also utilized two of its air assets, a Philippine Air Force Sokol Helicopter and a Philippine Navy AW109E Helicopter, to augment the ongoing SAR operations.