A PASSENGER ship, MV Our Lady of Fatima 03, with 54 passengers and nine crew onboard, experienced engine difficulty at approximately one nautical mile Southwest off Fortune Island in Nasugbu, Batangas yesterday, 21 October 2023.
According to reports reaching the Command Center of Coast Guard District Southern Tagalog, said vessel departed Port of Tilik in Lubang at 7:30 in the morning.
While transiting in between Ambil Island and Fortune Island, an engine failure was discovered around 9:30AM and an attempt to troubleshoot the engine was made, but it was unsuccessful, leaving the ship to be dead on water. Accordingly, some parts of the engine particularly the exhaust valve was damaged causing the dislocation of its push rod.
After the distressed vessel reported the incident, in which Coast Guard Sub Station (CGSS) Calatagan informed CGSS Lubang about the situation. CGSS Lubang personnel immediately contacted the Captain of the vessel for inquiry.
The sister ship of MV Our Lady of Fatima, the MV Lubang Express departed Port of Tilik at around 2PM with personnel from Coast Guard Sub Station Lubang on board to provide assistance.
At 3:45PM, towing operations to MV Our Lady of Fatima by MV Lubang Express started with all crew and passengers declared in good condition. Said vessel safely docked at 6:20PM after towing to Wawa Port in Nasugbu.
The Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office and Philippine Red Cross Nasugbu were coordinated by PCG to provide medical assistance to be rendered to the rescued crew and passengers.
CGSS Nasugbu advised the vessel’s Master to report the incident to the Maritime Industry Authority and obtain a Certificate of Seaworthiness as prior resuming operations.
The vessel with 69.41 gross tonnage and 16.09 net tonnage is owned and managed by Ms. Rosa Maria Pamaran and skippered by Captain Florecel Palacio.
