RESCUED | The timely arrival of rescuers from the Philippine Coast Guard saved the lives of 89 passengers and five crew members of the boat King Sto. Niño 7, some of them still in the half-submerged vessel when found in the waters off Corcuera, Romblon, on Saturday. A woman died in the accident. (Photo courtesy of Alden Dy Fajilan, one of the survivors)
LUCENA CITY, Quezon, Philippines — The Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) has suspended the passenger ship safety certificate (PSSC) of the motorized banca that nearly sank in the seas off Corcuera town in Romblon province on Saturday, leaving one passenger dead.
The agency on Saturday informed Armando Moreno, owner of the ill-fated pump boat King Sto. Niño 7, that in accordance to Marina’s rules, the vessel’s PSSC had to be suspended since it was “involved in a sea incident that may put into question the integrity of the hull and its integral parts and other affected machineries/appliances,” according to a letter signed by Rizal Victoria, Marina’s director in Calabarzon.
The suspension order would stay until Marina has thoroughly inspected and evaluated the vessel’s seaworthiness, said Victoria.
Rescuers from the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG)-Southern Tagalog District, responding from a call from one of the boat’s passengers, found the King Sto. Niño 7 half-submerged near Corcuera at around 12:30 p.m. on Saturday and rescued 89 passengers and five crew members.
However, a female passenger died while three others sustained injuries.
Favorable sea
According to the PCG report, the boat left the port of Calatrava, also a town in Romblon, at around 11 a.m. amid favorable sea and weather conditions. It was bound for Corcuera port with five crew members, 90 passengers, and one motorcycle on board. The boat’s authorized passenger capacity is up to 96 people, the PCG said.
Corcuera Mayor Elmer Fruelda, in a phone interview on Saturday, identified the fatality as the 55-year-old village treasurer of Barangay Tacasan in his town but did not give her name.
A police report identified the fatality as Annie Famadulan. The PCG station in Romblon said the cause of death was cardiac arrest.
The passengers who sustained minor injuries — January Vien Defeo, 16; Hazel Jane Faderagao, 23; and Ira Mariz Fruelda, 17—were all residents of Corcuera and were taken to the town’s Malapayon District Hospital for treatment, the PCG report said.
The survivors were brought to the coastal village of Ilijan for immediate medical assistance and support.
Most of the passengers were returning home from a summer camp in Calatrava, the mayor said.
Hole in the boat
The PCG said the boat slowly sank when it was hit by a floating solid wood, citing information from the boat captain, identified as Jose Moreno Sr.
One of the survivors, Alden Dy Fajilan, 23, recalled that the sea was rough but the weather was clear when they were traveling.
“The weather was not bad but the sea was rough because of the southwest monsoon. What we heard before the water started coming in was that there was a hole in the boat,” Fajilan told the Inquirer in a phone interview on Saturday afternoon.
Fajilan is a student and a member of the Sangguniang Kabataan (youth council) in Barangay San Roque in Corcuera.