ABRA DE ILOG, OCCIDENTAL MINDORO — A roll-on/roll-off passenger vessel ran aground near the shoreline of Abra de Ilog, Occidental Mindoro, early Thursday, September 17, prompting a Coast Guard rescue operation that safely evacuated the people aboard.
The MV RoRo Master 5, a 779-gross-ton vessel operated by Orange Navigation Inc., was traveling from the Port of Batangas to the Port of Abra de Ilog when it ran aground at about 12:45 a.m. near Barangay Udalo, roughly 30 meters from the shoreline, according to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).
Passengers evacuated after vessel hits shallow waters
Coast Guard personnel immediately responded to the incident and boarded the vessel to assist those onboard.
Four life rafts and a lifeline secured toward the shoreline were used during the evacuation. By around 6 a.m., the passengers had been brought to the Port of Abra de Ilog, with assistance from the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office and Orange Navigation Inc.
GMA News reported that no one was seriously injured, although one woman reportedly fainted from fear during the emergency. Passengers were also provided with food and medical assistance after reaching shore.
The exact number of people aboard has varied in initial reports as authorities worked to reconcile the passenger and crew manifest. The PCG said it was still verifying the final number of passengers, crew members and rolling cargo involved.
Possible gyrocompass failure under investigation
The PCG’s initial investigation pointed to a possible gyrocompass failure, which may have caused the vessel to deviate from its intended route before running aground.
Authorities have not presented this as a final determination of the cause. The vessel’s captain was also instructed to submit a marine protest as part of the investigation into the incident.
The initial assessment found that the vessel had grounded on a rocky seabed. The Coast Guard reported that there was no identified marine protected area in the immediate vicinity.
No oil spill or water ingress reported
Despite the grounding, the PCG said there was no oil spill detected in the surrounding waters and no water ingress into the vessel during the initial assessment. Authorities continued monitoring the ship while assessing its condition.
Orange Navigation Inc. requested a tugboat from Cedar Company to assist in refloating the vessel. Additional Coast Guard assets were also deployed to support the operation.
As of the latest reports reviewed, authorities were still assessing the vessel and coordinating the recovery operation. Reports confirm that a refloating operation was being arranged, but a completed refloating could not be independently verified from the primary and major-news reports available at the time of publication.
DSWD assists affected passengers
The Department of Social Welfare and Development also deployed social workers and a Quick Response Team to assess the needs of affected passengers.
Local authorities provided assistance including meals and medical checks, while transportation arrangements were made for passengers affected by the disruption.
The incident comes amid heightened public attention on maritime safety following the deadly MV June Aster ferry fire off Coron, Palawan earlier in September. That separate incident has prompted continued scrutiny of passenger-vessel safety and emergency response procedures.
For the Occidental Mindoro grounding, authorities are expected to continue examining the vessel, its navigation equipment and the circumstances that led it to leave its intended course.
The investigation will determine the official cause of the incident and whether further safety or regulatory measures are necessary.
