A CARGO vessel, m/v Maria Theresa 1, capsized at Apo Cement’s pier in the City of Naga, Cebu, late Wednesday night, March 11, 2026, killing one factory worker and trapping a crew member who was later rescued after responders punctured the vessel’s hull.
Unconfirmed reports suggest the vessel may have been loading cement cargo at the time of the incident. This may have caused the ship to list and eventually capsize after a mooring line anchored to the port snapped.
City of Naga Administrator Arthur Villamor, who received the report about the incident around 10 p.m., said the snapped cable struck the factory worker, identified only by his family name Baricog, a resident of Inoburan.
Responders from the Naga City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office immediately rushed to the area.
Villamor said personnel from Apo Cement also responded quickly and assisted in the rescue operations.
Baricog was rushed to a hospital in southern Cebu but was later declared dead on arrival.
Meanwhile, Joel Baring, substation commander of the Philippine Coast Guard in the City of Naga, said they received information about the capsized vessel at 10:30 p.m. and immediately deployed personnel to the site.
Signs of life
Upon arrival, coast guard personnel discovered that the vessel had already completely capsized. However, responders heard sounds from inside the ship, indicating signs of life.
A composite rescue team composed of coast guard personnel and Apo Cement employees decided to puncture a hole in the hull to allow responders to enter the vessel.
At 1:18 a.m., they found a crew member trapped inside the ship. The crew member was rescued.
Baring said they later confirmed that the casualty occurred when the vessel’s mooring line tightened and suddenly snapped, striking the victim with fatal force.
Authorities said the exact cause of the incident has yet to be determined.
As of Thursday afternoon, March 12, Apo Cement had yet to release an official statement regarding the incident.
The coast guard is currently focusing on preventing possible environmental damage after the vessel capsized.
A 100-meter spill boom has been deployed around the area to contain any possible fuel or oil leakage from the ship while authorities continue to monitor the site and prepare for salvage operations. / ABC