A VESSEL of Trans Asia Shipping Lines Inc. had to return to Cebu City a few hours after departing port for Cagayan de Oro City due to engine trouble.
The incident was made known to the media and the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) 7 by Chester Cokaliong, president and general manager of Cokaliong Shipping Lines.
Cokaliong said mv Trans-Asia 10 left Cebu at 8 p.m. Friday but came back five hours later.
He said passengers disembarked from Trans-Asia 10 and proceeded to Cokaliong’s head office to get tickets.
He said they could only offer them tickets to Iligan City since they don’t travel to Cagayan de Oro.
Trans-Asia operations manager Abner Llanos, for his part, appealed for public understanding.
He said their technical people had advised the vessel to sail because only one of the two engines was in trouble, but the captain thought it was safer for the passengers if they returned to Cebu City.
Suspended operation
“We have a policy that once the captain will decide, even the shipowners cannot intervene. All must support,” Llanos said.
He said that while the vessel is under repair, all defective parts will be replaced.
Marina 7 Director Nanette Villamor Dinopol told Sun.Star Cebu she already suspended the operation of mv Trans-Asia 10.
Dinopol said the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) will not allow mv Trans-Asia 10 to ply its route without a new Marina 7 certification that the vessel is again seaworthy.
The PCG also reported that at 3 p.m. yesterday, LCT Aleeza of Golden Bridge Shipping rammed a fishing banca while trying to dock in Labogon, Mandaue City.
According to Commander Agapito Bebat, survivor Bernardo Vercede said he and Lawrence Aroa were gathering shrimps and crabs on the water off the Tayud Anchorage Area.
Vercede said they fell asleep because they were tired. They were awakened by a loud blow of a ship’s horn, and quickly jumped into the water.
PCG declared Aroa missing after it could find him following a search and rescue operation.