2 vessels capsize while undergoing repair in San Fernando

CEBU, Philippines —  Two vessels were reported to have capsized Monday while undergoing repair at a private shipyard in Barangay Sangat, San Fernando.

A team from the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office of San Fernando was immediately dispatched to confirm the information and found out during the inspection that Super Shuttle Ferry 3 and Super Shuttle Ferry 23 were listing and half-submerged.

 Niel Papas, municipal administrator, said the town’s disaster unit is monitoring the area for possible oil spill.

As of this writing, the shipyard management has not reported the incident to the Philippine Coast Guard and the police. There was also no official statement from the management. 

Romeo Alfeche Jr., one of the responding MDRRMO personnel, said the two vessels arrived on Sunday for dry-docking. According to Alfeche, one of the crew members told him the vessels listed after hitting the seabed during low tide and failed to recover.

Alfeche said the incident may have been caused by the crew members’ lack of familiarity of the place. — Report from Banat News, FPL (FREEMAN)