The Taguig City government and the Church of Sta. Ana have issued a joint statement regarding the fluvial parade accident on July 26 that left one person missing and six others injured.
An initial report by the Taguig City Police Station’s Substation 4 two boats collided at about 4:40 p.m. in Tuktukan River in Barangay Tuktukan, Taguig.
A fluvial parade was held as part of the celebration of the fiesta of Barangay Sta. Ana in Taguig and Taguig River Festival
One boat carrying 14 passengers collided with another boat with 12 passengers. The boat which struck the other boat sank, forcing the passengers to transfer to the other boat, which also sank.
According to the Taguig City government and Church of Sta. Ana, the two boats that collided were not official participants in the Taguig River Festival.
“Matapos ang parada, isang aksidente ang nangyari. Dalawang bangka na hindi opisyal na kalahok sa Taguig River Festival na kapwa pauwi na ang nagbanggaan at lumubog (After the parade, an accident happened. Two boats that were not official participants in the Taguig River Festival and were both going home collided and sank),” according to the statement.
They added that first aid was given to passengers of the two boats but a 30-year-old man was reported to be missing. The search and rescue operations have continued.
“Ang mga gamit na bangka ay pribadong inarkila ng mga sakay nito at hindi kasama sa manifesto ng mga bangkang isinumite sa Pamahalaang Lungsod at Simbahan ng Sta. Ana (The boats used were privately rented by the passengers and not included in the manifest of the boats submitted to the city government and Church of Sta. Ana),” the city government and the church added.
They said the official participants wore life vests, given safety briefing and were accompanied by rescue boats.
An incident management team was created for the festival and the City Rescue, Coast Guard, and the Bureau of Fire Protection deployed speed boats for the procession, they added.
“Dinala sa iba’t ibang ospital sa Taguig ang mga nailigtas. Binigyan sila ng first aid at prophylaxis medicine. Umantabay din ang mga social workers. Lahat ng nailigtas ay nasa maayos na kalagayan (Those who were rescued were taken to different hospitals. They were given first aid and prophylaxis medicine. Social workers were on standby. Those who were rescued are in good condition),” they said.
The city government and the Church of Sta. Ana said they continued to help those who were rescued and are in touch with the family of the missing person.