Coast Guard continue on search and rescue operations on the victims of MV Princess Star

Maimi
June 23, 2008
Story: Coast Guard continue on search and rescue operations on the victims of MV Princess Star

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said that they continue on the search and rescue operations on the shipping vessel that capsized in Romblon.

The MV Princess of the Star owned by the Sulpicio Lines, capsized last Saturday at around 1:00 pm Saturday, June 21 in san Fernando, Romblon. According to the coast guard, they received distress call at around 12:55 pm of June 21, 2008.

“There is a continuing effort from the PCG to go on with the search and rescue operations,” Commodore Luis Tuason, chief of the Metro Manila Coast Guard, said.

As of the moment, the PCG received reports from Masbate that they already have 30 survivors, 2 of which were recovered from Romblon and others were in Mulanay, Quezon. An additional reports of 30-45 survivors are appearing but the Coast Guar said they have to verify it if they are passengers of the vessel or victim of the typhoon itself.

According to Tuason, they have to investigate whether the captain of the ship were able to receive information that there is a Signal number 3 in Romblon, because if there is signal number 3, the vessel should take shelter on the nearest port.

Navy spokesman Lt. Col. Edgard Arevalosaid that their team is also helping in the rescue operations. According to him, their team already approached vessel. “We go near on the ship and knock on it several times to check if somebody will answer the knck, but unfortunately there was none.”

But he also said that they are optimist that there are still survivors that maybe swept away on other places.

The M/V Princess of the Star has 849 total number of passengers. 121 of it were crew members, 4 sea Marshalls from Coast Guard and Navy and 724 passengers.