Passengers, crew rescued; ship battered by waves, wind

Anna Liza Masamot awoke from a deep sleep to find herself and scores of other passengers of the ship MV Asia-Malaysia teetering dangerously to one side.

“We are about to sink. I have my life vest on with me. Please tell me what to do,” she texted in Cebuano to her husband, a seaman named Archilles at 4 a.m yesterday.

Archilles, who went to the Coast Guard to ask about her condition, said he told her not to panic and head to the nearest life raft and wait for instructions from the ship’s captain.

Anna Liza was among the 110 passengers and 35 crew members rescued from the vessel, which listed and sank off the coast of Calabasa Island in Ajuy town, Iloilo province yesterday morning.

All passengers and crew of the MV Asia-Malaysia owned by Trans-Asia Shipping Lines Inc. were transferred to other ships and boats after the ship captain issued an abandon-ship order before the vessel sank, the Coast Guard said.

In a press statement, Trans-Asia management said the vessel reached the island when it encountered strong winds and big waves, causing it to take in water at 4 a.m.

The ship left Cebu at 6 p.m last Saturday and was scheduled to arrive in Iloilo at 8 a.m.

Stayed behind

The ship captain issued a distress signal and abandon-ship order shortly before 6 a.m after the ship listed by 35 degrees on its right side about four miles off Calabasa Island, Ajuy town located 87 kms northeast of Iloilo City.

Commander Athelo Ybañez, Western Visayas Coast Guard commander, said the passengers and crew were transferred to the MV Filipinas Cebu owned by Cokaliong Lines and MT Fil Visayas.

About 10 crew members including the ship captain stayed behind until they transferred to a lifeboat minutes before the boat sank at 8:50 a.m.

The passengers and crew who transferred to the MV Filipinas Cebu were expected to arrive in Iloilo at 10:30 a.m.

“We were monitoring the situation. The captain had yet to declare an ‘abandon ship’ order so we asked the Coast Guard in Iloilo to let us proceed to the port since all passengers were rescued,” MV Filipinas Cebu Captain Sabellano Fuderanan said.

Chester Cokaliong, owner of  MV Filipinas Cebu, said food assistance was given to the rescued passengers.

Those on board the MT Fil Visayas were brought to Bacolod City, Negros Occidental.

Whereabouts

The others, who were rescued by fishing boats, were brought to Ajuy town.

The Trans Asia management said the Coast Guard cleared MV Asia-Malaysia’s route at 6 p.m last Wednesday.

It also said it received word that all passengers and crew arrived at the Fort San Pedro fort in Iloilo City.

The management declined to comment when asked about the damages and cause of the  sinking.

A relative of one of the passengers, 33-year-old Darwin Latonio, shook off the rain to head to the nearest Trans Asia ticketing office to ask about the whereabouts of his brother-in-law Michael Tan.

Latonio said the ticketing personnel told him to go to their main office across Plaza Independencia in Cebu City which was closed.

“I didn’t know where to ask for information on my brother-in-law,” he said.

No warning

The ticketing staff of the Trans-Asia office in Pier 4, Cebu City said the weather was fair when the vessel departed last Saturday evening and they didn’t receive any warning from the Coast Guard.

The female staffer who requested anonymity said they were were told by their immediate supervisor about the incident yesterday morning but were not given details.

Coast Guard Commander Roland Lizor Punzalan said they are verifying reports of a fuel spill that occurred at the time of the sinking.

“There was no storm warning from (state weather bureau) Pagasa and the MV Asia-Malaysia is a 2,345 gross ton vessel.” he said.

Punzalan said vessels weighing 1,000 gross tons are allowed to sail with caution.

The Trans-Asia shipping lines load cargoes and passengers within Visayas and has five trips daily.

On Dec. 23, 1999, the MV Asia South Korea, operated by the same shipping lines, sank off Bantayan Island in Cebu where 54 people died. Reporter  Candeze R. Mongaya with Correspondent Edison delos Angeles and an Inquirer report