MANILA, Philippines — Sixty-seven passengers of a half-sunken passenger boat off Polillo, Quezon, were rescued by the Philippine Coast Guard on Thursday afternoon.
The PCG said the M/B Jovelle Express 3 with 60 passengers and seven crew members, left Patnanungan Port at 10:00 a.m. en route to Real when an unknown object hit the vessel.
“While underway, the said boat incurred damage to its forward part as a hard material accidentally hit the boat, causing the motorbanca to take in water,” the PCG said in its initial report.
Rescuers from PCG Sub Station in Patnanungan Port arrived after receiving a distress call at around 1:00 pm from one of the passengers.
The PCG said all passengers were safely brought to Barangay Macnit, Polillo.