PCG rescues 78 people aboard vessel off Palawan

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines  - - At least 78 passengers, including 20 minors, were rescued by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) after drifting for  three days on board their  vessel off the waters of Palawan,  a coast guard official said here.

The PCG said the rescued passengers of the vessel M/L April Joy , which was escorted by the search and rescue vessel BRP Nueva Vizcaya 1,  arrived Sunday dawn in this city.

Cmdr. Allan Corpuz, commander of the SARV BRP Nueva Vizcaya 1, said the ill-fated vessel,  skippered by Mufti Ibno Hassan,  with its passengers and crew left Palawan Tuesday and was bound for this city when it encountered mechanical malfunction.

He said the vessel’s transmission pole broke, causing the vessel to drift.

The coast guard rescue official said the vessel initially sought to  establish contacts and sent distress calls to   nearby vessels off the waters between Palawan and Dumaguete before losing contact.

Corpuz said a rescue mission was immediately launched to track down the ship  with its passengers on board by establishing square-search pattern to establish communication with  other boats nearby.

He said the  ship was located near Mangsi Island off Palawan,  which is 100 nautical miles from Zamboanga City.

The coast guard rescued the drifting vessel last Saturday and was immediately escorted to this city as most of the passengers were from this city.

Corpuz said the passengers were given medical attention as they were suffering from dehydration and dizziness from their  three-day ordeal off the high seas.