Passenger ship runs aground in Cebu

MANILA, Philippines (Xinhua) - A passenger vessel with over 400 people on board ran aground this morning off Cebu, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said.

MV Trans Asia 9 with 364 passengers and 72 crew members was on its way to Cebu port from Cagayan de Oro when it hit a shallow part of Lawid Ridge in Cebu due to low tide at around 6:35 a.m., the agency said.

The PCG District Cebu immediately sent its personnel in the area to provide assistance and evacuate the passengers if necessary, it said.

However, after three hours, the ship was able to pull itself out from its grounded position and continue its voyage to Cebu port while being escorted by the Coast Guard personnel to ensure the safety of the passengers, the Coast Guard said.

The vessel safely docked at Cebu pier at 10:23 a.m., it said. Fortunately, no one got hurt in the incident.