Friday, July 13, 2007 Army says ferry passengers safe By Ben Serrano Caraga Correspondent
SURIGAO CITY -- Forty one passengers, among them a child, of the stranded roll on, roll off m/v Shuttle Ferry 10 are now safe, according to rescuers belonging to the 30th IB Philippine Army based in Surigao del Norte.
Colonel Isidro Purisima, commanding officer of the 30th IB Philippine Army, said the troops coordinated with the Philippine Coast Guard for the rescue operations that started Wednesday afternoon.
Asia Marine Transportation Corporation, which owns and operates the vessel, sought the military's assistance.
"The vessel, which has cargoes of nine six-wheeler trucks, one 10-wheeler truck including its 41 passengers--some bound for Pasay City in Manila others for Leyte, is now anchored one mile north of Rizal Island, Dinagat Islands Province," Purisima said.
He said they have tried to tow the ill-fated m/v Shuttle Ferry 10 back to Lipata Wharf in Surigao but strong winds and big waves forced the tugboats to abandon its rescue mission.
"We immediately brought the vessel to safer area anchored a mile off Rizal Island. They are now safe there and have nothing to worry about since food were also brought to the area courtesy of Surigao City and Surigao del Norte local governments and other NGOs (non-government organizations) and good Samaritans," Purisima added.
The 292 passenger-capacity m/v Shuttle Ferry 10, which has gross weight of 353.82 tons, left Surigao City's Lipata Wharf for Liloan, Southern Leyte about 8 a.m. Wednesday.
At about 9:45 a.m., its engine conked out at the vicinity of Sumilon Island forcing boat captain Peregrino Colis to send a distress call to the boat's office, which in return called the Coast Guard Office in Surigao City.
Lieutenant Armand Balilo, Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson, said the engine problem happened after the ship's oil mixed with water.
Because of non-availability of a motorboat to bring Coast Guard personnel to the area, it took sometime before rescue operations were started.
This prompted 30th IB Philippine Army standby troopers to bring tugboats in the hope of towing the vessel back to Lipata Wharf some eight kilometers from Surigao City center.
Strong winds and big waves halted the attempt to tow the vessel back.
The firm's m/v Super Shuttle Ferry 9 sank in 2005 off the coast of Hagnaya, Cebu. No casualties were reported in the incident.
