By Raymund Antonio
A yacht carrying six passengers ran aground off Bansaan Island in Talibon, Bohol last Saturday.
(MANILA BULLETIN)
The Philippine Coast Guard, in a report, said that M/Y Mags Royal departed Mahaba Island and was headed to Port of Talibon when the grounding incident occurred.
The yacht was skippered by Capt. Rolan Dejillo Longakit, who said they accidentally ran aground in the shallow water of the island while en route to their destination.
PCG-Central Visayas district dispatched multirole response vessel-4404 (MRRV-4004) to conduct search and rescue operations, but Longakit said they were rescued by a motorboat that passed by the area.
The SAR team from Coast Guard Sub-Station in Talibon instead inspected the yacht in the grounding site to determine the extent of the damage to the marine environment.
“Three CGSS Talibon personnel boarded the distressed yacht, rendered necessary assistance, and immediately conducted surface inspection for possible oil spill,” PCG said.
The Coast Guard said the inspection team did not find any traces of oil spill in the waters off Bansaan Island.
PCG however reported that a hole was found near the yacht’s rudder.
The Coast Guard also said the grounded portion of the yacht was about “one eighth of the hull from aft.”