Ferry stalls off Sipalay

A ferry with 517 passengers on board stalled off Sipalay City in Negros Occidental after encountering engine trouble yesterday, the Coast Guard said.

The SuperFerry 9 was heading from Bacolod City to Iloilo City when its engines overheated off Sipalay, the Coast Guard said in a report.

The ferry owner, the Aboitiz Transport System (ATS), dispatched SuperFerry 1 to tow the stricken vessel to nearby Guimaras port, Coast Guard Capt. Luis Tuason said.

From Guimaras, a tugboat was to tow SuperFerry 9 to Iloilo where further repairs would be done, ATS said.

The company said all of the passengers – 492 adults and 25 minors – were all safe and being attended to by the vessel’s 124 personnel.

A replacement vessel will be sent today to bring the passengers to their respective destinations, it said.

"The management extends its sincerest apologies to all the passengers inconvenienced by the unforeseen delay," Jess Supan, ATS vice president for safety and security, said in a statement.

"We would like to commend the Coast Guard for their speedy assistance during the towing operations," he added. – James Mananghaya and AP