Ferry runs aground in shallow waters off Libon town in Albay

The M/V Jack Daniel roll-on, roll-off vessel ran aground on Monday, April 23, 2018, at a fish sanctuary and marine reserve in Barangay Rawis, Libon, Albay. (Photo by MICHAEL JAUCIAN / Inquirer Southern Luzon)

LIBON, Albay — A commercial vessel accidentally ran aground and hit coral reefs off a coastal village in Libon town here on Monday afternoon and reported only Tuesday.

The M/V Jack Daniel, a roll-on, roll-off ferry based in Cebu, had just been repainted at the Pantao port and left around 4 p.m. Monday for nearby Pioduran town when it got stuck in the shallow waters off Barangay Rawis here.

Libon Mayor Wilfredo Das Maronilla said the incident might have destroyed the corrals in the area, which is considered as a marine sanctuary.

“My order is to hold the ship and the 37 crew including the captain for the meantime. We are conducting an investigation particularly on the damage on corral reefs,” he said.

He added that the ship owner and crew would be held accountable for whatever damage the ship had caused.

The ship is owned by the Santa Clara Shipping Corp.

“Right now there’s no oil spill yet in the area,” Maronilla said.

Jonalyn Barcellano, fishing regulation officer of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in Albay, said they could not yet assess the extent of damage as the ship was still in the area.

“We will send divers to check the area in order to validate the damage. But for sure, there’s a damage since the vessel was stuck,” she said
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According to her, the local government should get compensated for whatever damage the ship had caused, considering that the area had been declared as a fish sanctuary and marine reserve.

Based on his initial investigation, Petty Officer 1st Class Marlon Mayor, assistant sub-station commander of the Philippine Coast Guard in Libon, said the captain might not have noticed how shallow the area was. /atm