(Photo: Philippine Coast Guard)
A man who allegedly jumped from a ferry in the waters of Batangas Bay was rescued by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) over the weekend.
The PCG said the 33-year-old passenger of MV Trans-Asia 20 went overboard around 10:10 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 13, while the vessel was traversing Batangas Bay.
The vessel was bound for Caticlan, Aklan and left Batangas Port at 9:54 p.m. while carrying 519 passengers.
“About 16 minutes after departure, a female passenger alerted PCG sea marshals that her cousin had jumped from the vessel’s fifth deck,” PCG spokesperson Capt. Noemie Cayabyab said on Sunday, Feb. 15.
“The man, a resident of Barbaza [Antique], fell approximately 9.4 meters into the sea,” she added.
PCG sea marshals and the ship’s crew immediately launched search and rescue operations, and informed the Sea Marshal Unit-Southern Tagalog about the incident for augmentation.
The Coast Guard Station Batangas dispatched a rigid hull inflatable boat (RHIB) and a high-speed response boat to hasten the search.
A specialized rescue team from Coast Guard Sub-Station Batangas City was also deployed to scour the area.
Despite darkness and limited visibility, responders found the man at around 11 p.m.
He was turned over to the PCG medical team and brought to Batangas Medical Center for evaluation.
Doctors declared him in stable condition after he sustained no life-threatening injuries despite the fall.
An investigation is ongoing to determine what prompted the man to jump from the ferry.
Authorities were also checking if all safety protocols on board were strictly followed during the transit.