MANILA, Philippines — A passenger vessel carrying over 120 passengers and crew members listed—or tilted to one side—in Romblon Sunday, the Philippine Coast Guard said.
The PCG said that MV Maria Helena of Montenegro Shipping ran aground near the shoreline of Barangay Nasunugan in Banton town and listed due to an “imbalance of cargoes and seawater inside the vessel” past midnight.
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The vessel tilted after a tire of one of the 16 rolling cargoes on board exploded and broke the lashing.
There were 93 passengers and 34 crew members on board.
According to the Coast Guard, all of the passengers were safe. They got off MV Maria Helena using the vessel’s lifeboat. The PCG team and boats in the vicinity also assisted in disembarkation of passengers.
“The skipper, Captain Elmo Sumocol, [said] the sea condition was calm, and there were no signs of hull cracks or holes on the vessels,” the PCG said.
The Coast Guard added its Marine Environmental Protection Group is on standby for possible oil spill response. The vessel has around 21,000 liters of marine diesel oil remaining on board.
The vessel left Lucena Port in Quezon Province and was bound for San Agustin Port in Tablas, Romblon when the incident transpired.