CEBU CITY -- The captain of the vessel that ran aground off Talisay City last Saturday will be held liable for allegedly failing to immediately report the accident, which delayed the rescue of 208 passengers.
Cebu Coast Guard Commander Rolando Punzalan revealed this Sunday, amid allegations they were "too slow" in rescuing the passengers of the Weesam Express 8.
“Scenarios like that should be immediately reported since we are after everyone’s safety. We should not wait for the worst to happen for them to report it,” said Punzalan.
Punzalan said it will be up to the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) to decide whether or not to impose sanctions on ship captain Kim Caroro.
Sun.Star Cebu called Weesam Express Sunday but company officer Gerard Hinolan declined a phone interview and said they will issue a statement in their office Monday.
Location, location
Interviewed separately, Punzalan explained that at 6:30 p.m. last Saturday, they received a call from a certain Dexter Llamas, who reported that the vessel ran aground.
But Llamas could not give the location since he was not a passenger of the vessel.
Punzalan said he alerted his men but did not immediately dispatch them since they did not receive a call from the vessel’s captain, confirming the accident.
“I was surprised to hear the report because the vessel’s captain did not report nor call us, and we cannot dispatch any rescue unit without the captain’s confirmation of the incident,” said Punzalan.
He added they were the ones who contacted Caroro to confirm the accident.
“After our call, it was then they reported what happened to their vessel,” said Punzalan.
Precautions
At 6:55 p.m., he dispatched his men for the search and rescue operation, using two rubber boats and a rescue vessel Sard 3504.
They arrived almost 8 p.m.
“After arriving at the site, they had to slow down since they had to be cautious and assess the area,” he said.
Weesam Express 8, owned by SRN Fast Sea Craft, travels from Tabilaran to Cebu. It ran aground off Lawis Ledge in Talisay City last Saturday night.
The vessel reportedly left Tagbilaran City port at 4:20 p.m. and was supposed to dock at Pier 4 in Cebu City at 6:20 p.m.
But about two kilometers from the shores of Talisay, it ran aground.
Different vessels responded to rescue the 208 passengers and 13 crew members. Search and Rescue vessel 3504 of Cebu Coast Guard rescued 113 passengers; Clemar 8 with Coast Guard personnel helped 55 passengers; Weesam Express 6 aided 36 passengers; and the Philippine Navy vessel rescued eight passengers.
Safely towed
At 5:15 a.m. Sunday, a motor tugboat of the Cebu Coast Guard went to the area.
By 8 a.m., Weesam Express 8 was pulled toward the port area and by 9:30 a.m., the vessel safely docked in Pier 4.
Passenger Mark Monton, general services officer of the Tagbilaran City Government, said the vessel ran aground at 6 p.m. and he called up Captain Anelito Gabisan, commander of the Coast Guard station in Tagbilaran.
Monton said that he and another passenger, Ted Aying, decided to call Edward Abanto of Coast Guard Tagbilaran, who then called Felix Barahan of Coast Guard Cebu.
Considering what they did, Monton said they are sure the Coast Guard Cebu was informed about the accident past 6 p.m. or just shortly after the vessel ran aground.
“Gabisan assured me that he will call Coast Guard Cebu. But unfortunately, the rescue team from Coast Guard Cebu arrived at 8 p.m. Worse, the first rescue team was on board a rubber boat with a capacity of only six people and three Coast Guard personnel were already there,” Monton said.
Overtaken
Monton said that Coast Guard Cebu personnel seemingly did not know what to do in their rescue operation because they lacked rescue facilities.
Finally, a Coast Guard Cebu Station vessel arrived and several passengers were transferred. The others who were not accommodated were transferred to a fishing boat, Monton said.
However, Monton said, it took the Coast Guard vessel more than an hour to travel from Talisay City to Aduana, within the vicinity of Malacañang sa Sugbo. (It takes less time to travel from Cebu City to Tubigon, Bohol, he pointed out.)
“The pumpboat even overtook the Coast Guard vessel. That was the time I thought the Coast Guard Cebu Station is not capable of responding to emergencies,” Monton said.
Monton said the issue isn’t just about the Weesam 8 incident, which is the Maritime Industry Authority’s responsibility to investigate, but also about the Coast Guard Cebu Station’s capability to conduct rescue operations. (Sun.Star Cebu)
