The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) revealed that it has found out the cause of the grounding of roll-on/roll-off vessel MV Filipinas Cebu in Iloilo on Tuesday, August 9, where 261 passengers and crew members were stranded.
In a statement Wednesday, August 10, the PCG said the helmsman of the ship – or the one who steered the vessel – fell asleep while they were sailing, citing an account from the ship captain, 57-year-old Alexander Wahing.
“According to MV Filipinas Cebu’s master (captain), the helmsman fell asleep while underway, causing the vessel to run aground,” it said. The helmsman was not identified.
The PCG advised the vessel’s master to file a marine protest before the PCG Station Iloilo due to the incident.
Meanwhile, the crew inspected the hull of the ship for possible ingress of seawater but it yielded a negative result.
MV Filipinas Cebu ran aground in the vicinity waters between Igbon Island and Agho Island in Concepcion, Iloilo at 12:08 a.m. Tuesday. It is operated by Cokaliong Shipping Lines.
It departed from Port San Pedro Pier in Iloilo City bound for Tinago Port in Cebu City when the incident happened.
Its sister vessel, MV Filipinas Cebu, was dispatched to the grounding site to transport all 223 passengers to Cebu City. They reached the destination at 3:25 a.m. Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the 38 crew members onboard the MV Filipinas Cebu were deemed safe and free from injury.