ZAMBOANGA CITY – The Philippine Navy rescued 175 passengers and crew of a distressed vessel in the sea of Sulu on Saturday, September 9.
PASSENGERS of the M/B Queen Shaima are transferred to the BRP Ivatan after they were rescued by a Philippine Navy boat. (Navforwem photo)
An Armed Forces-Naval Forces Western Mindanao report said that personnel manning the NFWM headquarters received information about a distressed vessel in the sea of Bolod Island.
The NFWM alerted the Naval Station Romulo Espaldon in Bagong Calarian here and dispatched the BRP Florencio Iñigo to rescue the ship.
With help from the Littoral Monitoring Station, the BRP Florencio Iñigo located the M/B Queen Shaiman within the vicinity of the eastern part of Bolod Island and rescued 175 passengers and crew members on board.
The vessel departed from Sulu and was on its way to Baliwasan here when it encountered engine trouble.
Around 80 passengers boarded the Navy boat while the rest of the passengers stayed at the vessel which was towed towards the Ensign Majini Pier here.
The passengers were later transferred to the BRP Ivatan, another Philippine Navy boat, in a rendezvous point in Basilan.
Rear Admiral Donn Anthony Miraflor, NFWM commander, commended the NFWM personnel for the successful rescue operation.