Tugboat sinks off Batangas; chief engineer drowns

BATANGAS, Philippines  – The chief engineer of a tugboat that sank off Calatagan town here Sunday morning drowned, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said yesterday. 

Lt. Cmdr. Armand Balilo, PCG spokesman, identified the fatality as Sienen Bobier of M/Tug Phil Pasig. 

The crewmembers were identified as Samuel Abad, Dave Alcantara, Joel Basilan, Jimmy Pinto and Rico Catipunan. 

M/Tug Phil Pasig was said to be towing Jovili, a barge from Binondo, Manila bound for the Mabini Anchorage in Batangas, when it encountered strong winds and big waves spawned by the southwest monsoon. 

It ran aground approximately 400 meters away from the shoreline of Sitio Payapay. 

M/Tug Alphard of Harbor Star Shipping Services Inc., arrived at around 5:20 a.m. yesterday to tow M/Tug Phil Pasig. But the tugboat capsized due to big waves.

Five crewmembers escaped through the hull of the tugboat but Bobier was trapped inside. 

Bobier’s body was recovered by at around 7:30 a.m.