The Philippine Coast Guard rescued a fastcraft with 172 passengers on board after it sent out an engine failure distress call while in the waters between Negros and Panay on Tuesday, Nov. 21.
The M/V Wessam Express 6 departed from the BREDCO port in Bacolod City at 11:30 a.m. bound for Iloilo, but at 1:15 p.m. it sent out a distress call, Commander Joe Luviz Mercurio, PCG Northern Negros Occidental station chief, said.
The vessel was towed by two tugboats with PCG personnel on board back to the BREDCO port where it arrived at 3:30 p.m., he added.
The distressed vessel was escorted back to Bacolod by the Coast Guard’s BRP Kalanggaman to ensure the safety of the passengers on board, Mercurio said.
Medical personnel and ambulances of the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office and other groups were at the port to check on the condition of the 170 adult and two minor passengers, he said.
Personnel of the Maritime Safety Service Command and Philippine Coast Guard inspected the vessel to determine the cause of the mechanical trouble, he added.*