CEBU CITY –– Ten people were rescued from a motor banca that capsized off Olango Island in Lapu-Lapu City early Wednesday, August 7.
Eight passengers and two crew members were on board the unnamed motor banca that left Barangay San Vicente in Olango Island without clearance from the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), said Lt. Junior Grade Michael John Encina, spokesperson of the PCG in Central Visayas.
The PCG-7 has continued the suspension of sea trips for small vessels like motor bancas due to “unfavorable sea conditions.”
The PCG Mandaue City station immediately dispatched a Quick Response Team to Hilton port in Lapu-Lapu City after receiving information at 4:10 a.m. from a concerned citizen informing them of a distress call.
A PCG auxiliary boat MBCA Joseph Express conducted a search-and-rescue operation.
The unnamed motor banca encountered big waves and strong winds until its engine conked out.
At 5:25 a.m., the rescue team successfully pulled out the eight passengers and the two crew members.
The seven survivors were brought to Hilton Port while the other three were brought back to Santa Rosa port on Olango Island.
According to the Lapu-Lapu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, the survivors said they hired the unnamed motor banca to bring them to Mactan Island as they have been absent from their jobs because the regular sea trips have been canceled.
Coast Guard list of suspended vessels
The Philippine Coast Guard Central Visayas released the list of suspended sea trips around the ports of Cebu as of August 7:
BANTAYAN PORT
1. MBCA SUPER SM – BOUND FOR CADIZ NEGROS OCC
2. MV BALT-BET JORNEY- BOUND FOR ESTANCIA
TABUELAN PORT
1. LCT GOLDEN LOTUS
2. LCT GOLDEN CRESENT
ADUANA PORT (Cebu City)
1.MV OCEAN JET 288 – CEBU-TAG
2.MV OCEAN JET 168 – CEBU-TAG
3. MV OCEANJET 388 – CEBU-TAG
4.MV OCEAN JET 588 – CEBU-TAG
5.MV OCEAN JET 9 – CEBU-GETAFEBOHOL
6.MV OCEAN JET 11 – CEBU-CAMOTES
7.MV OCEAN JET 188 – CEBU-ORMOC
8.MV ST. BARQUIEL – CEBU-ORMOC
9.MV ST. SARIEL – CEBU-ORMOC
TINAGO PORT (Cebu City)
1. MV STARCRAFT – CEBU-TUBIGON
2. MV GLORIA G1 – CEBU-HILONGOS
3. MV ISLAND CALAYAN – CEBU-TUBIGON
4. METRO FERRY CEBU – LAPULAPU CITY
5. TOPLINE EXPRESS CEBU – LAPULAPU CITY
ANGASIL MANDAUE PORT
1. MBCA STA ROSA FERRY EXPRESS 1
2. MBCA STA ROSA FERRY 2
3. MBCA STA ROSA FERRY 3
4. MBCA STA ROSA PRINCESS
HILTON PORT (Lapu-Lapu City)
1. MBCA “JOHN NINO 1” – HILTON TO BARING
2. MBCA “JOHN NINO 2” – HILTON TO BARING
3. MBCA “NATHAN EXPRESS”
4. MBCA “JOSEPH EXPRESS”
5. MBCA “MEME V”
6. MV “MIKA MARI 1V”
7. LCT “TRANS OLANGO”
RORO PORT, CORDOVA
1. MBCA SUNRISER
2. MBCA CLEMER 28
3. MBCA CLEMER 3
MACTAN Yacht Club WHARF
1. MV MAICA – Cebu City to MACTAN WHARF
2. MV TOPLINE EXPRESS 1
3. MV TOPLINE EXPRESS 2
MUELLE OSMEÑA WHARF
1. MV PRINCESA
2. MV CARMEN UNO
3. ML TOMMY 1
4. MB SEGUNDO 1
SAN REMIGIO PORT
1.SUPERSHUTTLE FERRY – HAGNAYA-SANTA FE
2.ISLAND SHIPPING – HAGNAYA-CAWAYAN MASBATE
3.AZNAR SHIPPING – POLANG BATO-PALOMPON LEYTE