MV Queen of Fatima stranded at Baluarte Bay

BASCO, Batanes — MV Queen of Fatima, a 6,000-ton cargo ship that plies the Manila-Batanes route, has run aground again for the fourth time in Baluarte Bay.

The ship, owned by The Batanes Multi-purpose Cooperative Inc., had cleared the government pier at 3 p.m. yesterday and was manuevering her way to Calayan Island in Cagayan province, when its main propulsion engine conked out.

Big waves spawned by the southwest monsoon, drove the ship towards the stony side of the pier, where it is now lying on her starboardside. Oil was seen leaking near the propeller. On-lookers assisted the 15 crewmen of the distressed ship to no avail.

The Queen of Fatima was to proceed to the island-municipality of Calayan to tow her sister ship, the MV Ivatan Princess, to San Fernando City in La Union, when she run aground.

The MV Ivatan Princess had similarly suffered engine trouble in Calayan as it prepared to sail for La Union Thursday.

The MV Queen of Fatima, under Capt. Allan Vergara, had similarly figured in three other mishaps.

Last March, it ran aground in Diajang, a kilometer away from the pier. Last year, it also run aground in Tamolong Point, also a kilometer from the pier.