AN interisland passenger ferry ship has to return to the Cagayan de Oro port after it listed dangerously on its port side when it encountered strong winds off the coastal municipality of Laguindingan in Misamis Oriental Sunday night.
The vessel, M/V Filipinas Cagayan de Oro operated by the Cokaliong Shipping Lines safely made it back to the port of Cagayan de Oro at around 11:21 pm yesterday where it was met by ships of the Philippine Coast Guard.
Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Rear Admiral Armando Balilo said all 448 passengers were safe and were assisted by Coast Guard personnel when they disembarked from the listing ship at the port of Cagayan de Oro.
Balilo told dxIF Bombo Radyo that the RoRo ship was underway to Cebu City from Cagayan de Oro on its regular route when it was buffeted by strong winds off Laguindingan town.
He said the ship which was constantly in communication with the Coast Guard Station in Cagayan de Oro, reported that it had a 30-degree listing to the portside.
“It was advised not to proceed to Cebu and to return to the port of Cagayan de Oro,” Balilo said.
Balilo said they are investigating reports that the listing was caused by rolling cargoes aboard the RoRo vessel that were not properly lashed causing the ship to tilt dangerously.
Shaken passengers posted on Facebook they heard loud thumping from the cargo hold below the ship before it tilted.
One of the passengers, Rex Orsal of Mandaue City, Cebu City said it was an hour after the vessel left of Cagayan de Oro port when it was buffeted by strong winds.
“The crewmembers help us put down the tarp to protect the passengers,” Orsal told Radyo Bandera in Cagayan de Oro.
Most of the passengers were seen donning the orange life vests when it docked at Cagayan de Oro port.
Balilo said they have instructed the Maritime Safety Services Command to investigate the incident and check the safety procedures and protocols made by the ship crew.
“This is to assure the public that we value the safety of the passengers and as much as possible incidents like this are prevented especially now that Christmas Season is approaching where maritime traffic is increasing,” Balilo said.
This is not the first time that a ship operated by Cokaliong Shipping Lines, which regularly plies the seas between Visayas and Mindanao was involved in accidents such as this.
On October 23, M/V Filipinas Butuan operated by the same shipping company ran aground in Santa Fe town in Bantayan Island, Cebu.
On April 20, 2023, 85 passengers of another Cokalion RoRo ship M/V Filipinas, were rescued by fishermen when it ran aground in Maigo Point in Lanao del Norte while it was going to Ozamiz City.
