Captain admits failure to call CG

CEBU, Philippines - The captain of Weesam Express 8 admitted his failure to immediately report to the Philippine Coast Guard when their fastcraft ran aground off Talisay City last Saturday.

Captain Kim B. Caroro said he was already about to call when they received communication from Coast Guard inquiring about their situation.

In his marine protest submitted before the Coast Guard, Caroro blamed the incident to the poor visibility because of the heavy rain when they entered the south entrance channel at 6:10 p.m. last Saturday.

“As visibility was really poor, I switched the search lights and I noticed that we were heading out of our course and I immediately pulled the throttle to neutral and then on a reverse mode, but it was too late as the vessel ran aground at (the shallow portion of) Lipata Banks,” Caroro’s report reads.

According to Caroro, he was on the binoculars and saw the fishing boats on the collision course with them prompting him to order the personnel manning the bridge to maneuver to the portside to avoid collision.

However, the fastcraft got stuck on a shallow portion of the sea causing the 208 passengers from Bohol to be stranded for few hours. Caroro explained that he was not able to immediately report the incident to the Coast Guard because when the vessel got stuck he went to the engine room to check of any damage first.

Caroro said he ordered some of crew to dive and check on the bottom of the vessel where they found damage on its propeller. It was only after he got the report of the damage that he went back to the bridge supposedly to call the Coast Guard.

However, before he could make the call, the Coast Guard-Cebu Station already made contact with them to inquire about the incident.

It was apparently the passengers who reported the incident first to the Coast Guard. Coast Guard-Cebu Commander Rolando Punzalan cried foul over criticisms that they failed to immediately respond to the incident.

Punzalan said the criticisms were unfair because they managed to rescue the passengers and the crew immediately after they have confirmed the incident. Punzalan said the captain also owe an explanation to the Maritime Industry Authority of his failure to report the incident immediately.

Meanwhile, Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama has ordered Alvin Santillana, executive officer of the City Disaster Coordinating Council, to do something after learning that the Coast Guard is not a member of the disaster council.

Punzalan and Santillana have already met yesterday to discuss the mayor’s concern.    - (THE FREEMAN)