Around 271 passengers of a fastcraft from Plaridel bound for Tagbilaran City were rescued after the vessel which was buffeted by strong winds ran aground in waters off the Misamas Occidental municipality early on Monday.
Ocean Jet 7 departed from the Plaridel port at past 4 a.m. and was battered by strong winds and huge waves along a channel just about a nautical mile away from the pier causing it to be swept into shallow waters while tide was “very low,” said SN1 Jobert Pervera of the PCG Plaridel Substation.
“Yung topographical area kasi dito sa port is a channel, yung gitna niya malalim at both sides niya mababaw. Nung paglabas ng vessel nakasalubong siya ng malakas na hangin, sinabayan pa ng malakas na alon na nagdirect dito sa left side niya,” he added.
The PCG was immediately alerted of the incident in waters off Barangay Eastern Looc, Plaridel. Authorities at around 5:15 a.m. deployed around 20 small pumpboats to rescue the passengers and 17 crew members including the vessel’s captain Sergio Alcibar.
Pervera noted that larger vessels were not able to go near the stranded fastcraft to assist in the rescue operations due to the low tide.
According to Pervera, no one was injured among the passengers and crew members during the incident as they were all safely transported back to Plaridel. The vessel also only incurred minimal damage including a “slight” crack in the vessel’s starboard side.
Pervera said that rescue operations by the PCG, Eastern Looc emergency responders and the personnel of the Plaridel Municipal Disaster Risk Management Office were completed at past 9:00 a.m.
Passengers upon reaching the Plaridel port were offered ticket refunds by Ocean Jet.
“Yung passengers inofferan sila ng Ocean Jet kanina na magrefund sila at inendorse nila sa Dapitan port para kunin nila yung biyahe doon ng 10 a.m. papuntang Dumaguete, pagdating sa Dumaguete merong magcater na Ocean Jet doon to Tagbilaran para di maabala yung mga business nila,” Pervera said.
Meanwhile, Ocean Fast Ferries, Inc. which owns the Ocean Jet line of vessels has coordinated with the PCG and the owner of a private tugboat to pull out the stranded vessel.
The MDRRMO has also offered a submersible pump for Ocean Jet to use if the fastcraft took in water due to the small crack incurred when it ran aground, said Pervera. (Allen Doydora)