
A passenger ship ran aground off Cebu on Monday, Oct. 23 causing an oil leak, but all 239 individuals onboard were rescued, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said.
MV Filipinas Butuan was maneuvering to avoid a fish cage when it hit shallow water at approximately 1.2 nautical miles from the vicinity of Barangay Kaongkod in Madridejos, Cebu.
The passenger ship departed Pier 1 in Cebu City bound for Iloilo Port.
The shipmaster coordinated with the Coast Guard Sub-Station Bantayan for necessary assistance and informed them about the presence of oil leakage during an initial vessel inspection.
The PCG deployed three motorboats to rescue the passengers and the crew members. They were eventually transported to a safe area in Madridejos.
BRP Malamawi, a PCG fast patrol vessel, carried one segment of oil spill boom and one box of absorbent pads to control the oil leakage from MV Filipinas Butuan.