PCG fails to locate missing cargo ship on 8th day of search


PCG M/V Sta. Monica.jpg
A Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) personnel uses a telescope to locate M/V Sta. Monica during extensive aerial searches to the east of Taytay, Palawan and from San Jose town to Paluan town in Occidental Mindoro on Nov. 4, 2024. (Photo: PCG)

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) still could not find a cargo vessel that went missing last week when Severe Tropical Storm “Kristine” struck southern Luzon.

The PCG said that it deployed a Britten-Norman BN Islander utility aircraft for the eighth day of extensive aerial searches to the east of Taytay, Palawan and from San Jose town to Paluan town in Occidental Mindoro to find M/V Sta. Monica on Monday, Nov. 4.

However, the PCG said that its efforts “have yet to yield results.”

“Despite increased patrols by the Coast Guard District in Palawan, the vessel remains unlocated,” it said.

The PCG noted that it has also actively patrolled both sea and shorelines in Occidental Mindoro to intensify their efforts, and enhanced information gathering and dissemination among local fisherfolk to assist in the search. 

It can be recalled that M/V Sta. Monica was reported unreachable on Oct. 27, exactly five days after it departed from Sta. Cruz Port in Taytay, Palawan en route to Brgy. Casian in the same town to seek shelter from the bad weather. 

The vessel was manned by a 10-member crew, and was carrying tanks of liquified petroleum gas (LPG) and carabaos.

Attempts to contact its crew, including the captain, has failed since then. 

This prompted the Coast Guard District Palawan to launch a massive search and rescue operation in coordination with the Coast Guard District Southern Tagalog and other regional units.

Following this, 10 empty LPG tanks were reportedly recovered by fishermen from Mamburao, Occidental Mindoro during fishing ventures on Oct. 27. 

Two floating cadavers and an undetermined number of dead carabaos were also sighted by a resident from Paluan, Occidental Mindoro on Oct. 28. 

A life jacket marked with the words “M/V Sta. Monical-A1” was also reportedly recovered by another resident from Mamburao town.