Off Talibon, Bohol: Yacht runs aground, 6 Chinese rescued

CEBU, Philippines — At least six Chinese tourists were rescued safely after the yacht they rented ran aground off Talibon town in Bohol Saturday afternoon.

The foreign passengers were transported to the nearest port before seawater got into the damaged vessel. Lieutenant Junior Grade Michael John Encina, spokesperson of the Philippine Coast Guard District Central Visayas (CGD-CV), reported on Sunday that the yacht named Mag's Royal ran aground near Bansaan Island at around 3 p.m. on Saturday.

Encina said the yacht navigated towards the shallow waters and hit the reef.

“Sumadsad iyong yate kasi low tide… May butas silang nakita. Pumasok na ang tubig dagat. Hindi lumubog iyong yate dahil nakapatong nga sila sa lupa,” he said in a phone interview with The Freeman.

Encina said a motor banca happened to pass by the area shortly after the yacht ran aground.

The crew of the banca helped the Chinese passengers get to Talibon port.

He said Coast Guard officers also interviewed the rescued foreigners in order to inform the Chinese embassy.

Encina said they immediately alerted the coast guard station in Tagbilaran City, Bohol after receiving the distress signal.

A team of rescuers from the district office in Cebu was immediately dispatched.

He said that at 4 p.m. a three-man team from Coast Guard substation in Talibon arrived at the area and helped the crew in conducting surface inspection to check for possible oil spill. Fortunately, there was none.

All the responding coast guard personnel assisted the captain and two crew members on board in patching the broken hull and braved until evening to temporarily fix the damage.

Authorities are now looking at human error as the cause of the accident.

The damaged yacht was towed to coast guard station Tagbilaran City. (FREEMAN)