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The Coast Guard District Central Visayas rescues passengers from MV Lite Ferry 5 on Sunday, April 20, after the vessel ran aground in shallow waters off Jagna Port, Bohol.
Coast Guard District Central Visayas via Facebook
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) safely rescued all 506 passengers of Motor Vessel Lite Ferry 5 on Sunday, April 20, after the vessel ran aground in shallow waters off Jagna Port in Bohol the night before.
The ferry was headed to Cagayan de Oro when it drifted roughly 200 meters away from Jagna Port and into shallow waters, the Coast Guard District Central Visayas reported, citing low tide as the cause.
“In a swift and coordinated maritime response, the Coast Guard District Central Visayas (CGDCV) successfully ensured the safe transfer of all 506 passengers from MV Lite Ferry 5,“ it said in a statement.
The Coast Guard Sub-Station was alerted to the incident after a citizen reported it, a situation later confirmed by the vessel’s captain. Response teams were immediately deployed to transfer passengers back to shore.
All 506 passengers were unharmed when MV Lite Ferry 5 ran aground and were safely brought back to port by dawn on Sunday.
Although early inspections found no apparent damage to the vessel’s hull or main body, the PCG said a full marine and environmental assessment is ongoing to ensure safety.
Alongside the Coast Guard District Central Visayas, the rescue operations also involved the Philippine Navy, Bantay Dagat volunteers, Jagna’s Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management, and local fisherfolk.
Leading the operations was PCG Commodore Weniel Azcuna, the coast guard’s commander in Central Visayas.
“[The operation] demonstrates the Philippine Coast Guard’s dedication to ensuring maritime safety, executing swift responses, and fostering effective inter-agency cooperation in the face of unforeseen maritime incidents,” the coast guard added.
Next steps. The coast guard’s latest update noted that a tugboat from Cebu is on its way to assist in extracting the vessel from its current location off the waters of Bohol.
