BATANES -- The Philippine Coast Guard responded to a distressed motorized boat Sto. Thomas III laden with 91 passengers and 12 crew after it encountered mechanical trouble, approximately one nautical mile away from the port of destination in Radiwan, Ivana, Batanes on Monday morning, May 30.
A belated report said that Coast Guard Sub-Station Ivana immediately activated its search and rescue (SAR) team on board a loaned motorized boat Aljolyner 19.
The team proceeded to the location and immediately sighted the distressed boat which it eventually towed to the port of destination in Radiwan, Ivana for passengers to safely disembark.
The municipality of Sabtang is one of the islands in the Batanes group. It is 3.62 miles from Radiwan.
Sto. Thomas III left Sabtang Port for a 45-minute travel to Radiwan, but the boat, according to its captain, Jerome Alavado, found trouble when the transmission of the main engine malfunctioned, about one nautical away from Radiwan port.
By 7:30 in the morning, the boat had been successfully towed by the coast guard to Radiwan Port in Ivana.
Sabtang is said to be home to the rough and turbulent waters of the West Philippine Sea.
“Hindi naman overload at maayos ang panahon noong naganap ang insidente,” the coast guard said.
Just recently, the Coast Guard Sub-Station Claveria responded to a maritime incident involving a distressed motorbanca with seven crews and five passengers onboard in the vicinity waters off Brgy. Pata East, Claveria, Cagayan.