96 rescued from boat off Basilan

ZAMBOANGA CITY–At least 96 people were plucked from a passenger boat that suffered mechanical problem in the high seas off Mataha Island in Basilan on Tuesday, the Philippine Coast Guard reported on Wednesday.

Lieutenant Commander Alvin Dagalea, the PCG Zamboanga district chief, said they dispatched PCG Boat 4402 upon receiving a distress call from the crew of ML Anika, which was heading for Tandubas town on Topaan Island in Tawi-Tawi.

He said the boat crew had informed the PCG that they were drifting farther into the open seas because their propeller shaft had broken, a few hours after leaving a private wharf here on Tuesdayevening.

Dagalea said it was around 10:30 p.m. when the rescue boat reached the location of ML Anika.

He said in all, they plucked out 86 passengers, 19 of them children, and the boat’s 10 crew members.

The rescued passengers and crew were brought here around 1:30 a.m. Wednesday.

“We are still conducting investigation. Fortunately, no one was hurt and all of them (crew and passengers) are all accounted for,” Dagalea said. Julie Alipala INQ