Cebu (CNN Philippines, October 23) — The Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) in Central Visayas has suspended the ship safety certificate of MV Filipinas Butuan after it ran aground near Bantayan Island stranding 250 passengers.
Considering the aforementioned incident has called into question the subject ship’s seaworthiness, please be advised that the Passenger Ship Safety Certificate (PSSC) of MV Filipinas Butuan is hereby suspended in accordance with the provisions of Republic Act 9295..” reads a portion of the letter sent by MARINA-7 regional director Emmanuel Carpio to Cokaliong Shipping Lines, the ship’s owner.With the suspension, the ship is no longer allowed to sail for now.Carpio added the ship’s safety certificate will remain suspended until it has satisfactorily met the inspection and evaluation “of all available data surrounding the incident.More than 200 passengers were rescued on Monday after the MV Filipinas Butuan ran aground on the shores of Madridejos town in Bantayan Island, Cebu at dawn.Philippine Coast Guard Central Visayas (PCG-7) said the MV Filipinas Butuan was cruising near the shores of Barangay Kaongkod when it hit the shallow part of the water. Some 250 passengers, among them infants and children, and 37 crew members were left stranded.(The) said vessel was avoiding a fish cage causing it to be drifted at the shallow waters and eventually ran aground,” the PCG said.In an update, the PCG said that as of 11 a.m. all passengers were safely transferred to Kota Park in Madridejos, Cebu.The ship is owned and operated by Cebu-based Cokaliong Shipping Lines. It left the Port of Cebu past 7 p.m. on Sunday and was expected to arrive in Iloilo City at around 8 a.m. the next day.Three motor bancas and Bantay Dagat service boats were used in the transfer of passengers and crew from ship to shore.Other coast guard stations in Northern Cebu were also alerted to help out in the operations and render necessary assistance.
