All the passengers and crew members aboard the roll-on/roll off passenger ship that caught fire off an anchorage area in Batangas have been accounted for, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) declared on Saturday, August 27.
As of 12:40 p.m., the PCG said all 85 individuals aboard the M/V Asia Philippines – 47 passengers and 38 crew members – were safely rescued.
The two individuals who have initially been the subjects of search and rescue (SAR) operations were found to have missed the 3 p.m. trip on Friday, hours before it caught fire while docking at the Port of Batangas.
“After checking, our joint team has confirmed that the two allegedly missing passengers took the 5 p.m., not the 3 p.m. vessel trip,” the PCG said.
“All passengers and crew have been accounted for,” it added.
Commodore Armand Balilo, PCG spokesperson, said the focus now will shift to the investigation of the cause of fire.
“Our focus now will be the investigation. Our SAR operations have been concluded,” he stated.
Meanwhile, the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) has suspended the Passenger Ship Safety Certificate (PSSC) of M/V Asia Philippines.
In a letter dated August 26, Emmanuel Carpio, regional director of MARINA in Calabarzon (Region 4A), said that the PSSC of M/V Asia Philippines has been suspended after it was involved in a maritime incident that caused casualties which “may put into question the integrity of the hull and its integral parts and other affected machineries/appliances.”
“Further, said vessel shall be subjected to a thorough safety inspection by MARINA inspector/surveyor in order to determine her seaworthiness condition prior to lifting of suspension, if warranted,” Carpio said in his letter addressed to the ro-ro ship’s owner, Trans-Asia Shipping Philippines Lines, Co. based in Cebu City; and operator Starlite Ferries, Inc. based in Batangas City.