A cargo ship from Malaysia ran aground and went half-submerged in the vicinity waters off Tanjung Pier in Indanan, Sulu on Monday, Jan. 16.
The PCG said that MV Melyn Express departed from Malaysia and was bound for Jolo, Sulu when it accidentally navigated in the shallow waters approximately 30 meters from the port while approaching Tanjung Pier for a docking maneuver.
Onboard the vessel were the ship captain, Muntasir Karanain, and 10 other crew members.
“The incident damaged the vessel’s keel and started taking in seawater until it reached the main engine, causing it to become half-submerged,” the PCG said on Tuesday, Jan. 17.
A PCG team from the Coast Guard Station Western Sulu responded to the area to assist and evacuate the crew. They were subjected to a medical checkup and it was bared that all of them were in “good physical condition.”
The PCG said that the grounding of the ship did not cause an oil spill, citing an assessment from its marine environmental protection unit.
As of Tuesday, the PCG said their team continued to secure the distressed vessel while waiting for it to be pulled out of the water.