CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (MindaNews / 13 November) –The Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) on Monday suspended the operations of M/V Filipinas Cagayan de Oro, hours after the Cebu-bound interisland passenger ferry returned to port here nearly midnight Sunday after listing dangerously on its port side when it encountered strong winds off the coast of Laguindingan in Misamis Oriental.
The vessel, operated by the Cokaliong Shipping Lines safely made it back to the port here at around 11:21 p.m. where it was met by ships of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).
PCG spokesperson Rear Admiral Armando Balilo said all 448 passengers were safe and were assisted by Coast Guard personnel when they disembarked.
MARINA regional director Annabel Lagas said the suspension of the Passenger Ship Safety Certificate (PSSC) of MV Filipinas Cagayan de Oro will remain in effect until there is a “satisfactory result of MARINA survey inspection and/or evaluation of all available data surrounding the incident.”
Cokaliong Shipping Lines regularly plies the seas between Visayas and Mindanao. Sunday night’s listing was the third incident recorded this year involving ships owned by the company.
Don’t proceed
Balilo told dxIF Bombo Radyo that the RoRo ship was on its way to Cebu City from Cagayan de Oro on its regular route when it was buffeted by strong winds off Laguindingan town.
Citing radio reports from the ship to the Coast Guard Station here,
Balilo said noted it had a 30-degree listing to the port side.
“It was advised not to proceed to Cebu and to return to port of Cagayan de Oro,” Balilo said.
Probe
Balilo said they are investigating reports that the listing was caused by rolling cargoes aboard the RoRo vessel that were not properly lashed, making the ship tilt dangerously.
Shaken passengers posted on Facebook that they heard loud thumping from the cargo hold below the ship before it tilted.
One of the passengers, Rex Orsal of Manduae City, Cebu City said the ship was buffeted by strong winds about an hour after the vessel left this city.
“The crew members helped us put down the tarpaulin to protect the passengers,” Orsal told Radyo Bandera in Cagayan de Oro.
Most of the passengers were seen donning the orange life vests when it docked at the port here.
Balilo said they have instructed the Maritime Safety Services Command to investigate the incident and check on the ship’s safety procedures and protocols.
“This is to assure the public that we value the safety of the passengers and as much as possible, incidents like this are prevented especially now that Christmas season is approaching and maritime traffic is increasing,” Balilo said.
3 incidents this year
Sunday night’s listing came three weeks after M/V Filipinas Butuan, operated by the same company, ran aground on October 23 in Santa Fe town in Bantayan Island, Cebu, on its way to Iloilo City. All 287 persons on board were rescued.
On April 20, 2023, 85 passengers of another Cokaliong RoRo ship, M/V Filipinas Cebu, were rescued by fishermen when it ran aground in Maigo Point in Lanao del Norte on its way to Ozamiz City. (Froilan Gallardo / MindaNews)