INQUIRER FILES
MANILA, Philippines — The cargo-passenger vessel of 2GO Travel shipping company, which suffered engine failure and ran aground, safely returned to the port of Coron, Palawan, as of 5 p.m. on Sunday.
In a statement, 2GO said upon inspection, its engineers and Philippine Coast Guard personnel “did not find any oil spill or leak” on MV St. Francis Xavier — the vessel bound Coron town from Manila.
READ: Cargo passenger vessel runs aground in Palawan
“Our crew anchored the ship to prevent it from drifting while ship engineers were working to restore power. However, the vessel ran aground as the tide receded towards the evening,” the company explained.
“Engineers worked through the night to restore power, but the vessel had to remain stationary,” it added.
Based on previous reports, the crew of MV Francis Xavier was conducting undocking maneuvers when the vessel lost all power and stopped in the water, approximately one nautical mile from the port of Coron, at around 4 p.m. on Saturday.
The crew then anchored the ship to prevent it from drifting. However, the vessel’s stern ran aground in a shallow area due to the low tide while engineers were working on its power restoration.
In response, 2GO issued an apology and said that it started “ferrying passengers at daylight in batches for safer and organized disembarkation from the ship to the passenger terminal.” Reports revealed that the vessel was carrying 1,365 passengers.
“Passengers bound for Puerto Princesa were advised to avail of refunds or were assisted by 2GO to secure other modes of transportation to reach their destination. 2GO also provided meals and accommodation to those waiting in Coron for their next trip,” it said.
“The vessel is now undergoing thorough inspection before it is allowed to sail to its next destination,” it added.