72 rescued as ship encounters propeller problem off Calapan port

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) personnel safely brought to shore yesterday morning 52 passengers and 20 crewmen of a ship that encountered a problem with one of its propellers off the Calapan City port in Oriental Mindoro.

As of noon yesterday, half of M/V Baleno 168 was submerged in water, according to PCG spokesman Commander Armand Balilo.

While all 72 people aboard the ship had been rescued by 10 a.m. yesterday, Balilo said removing the 18 rolling cargoes, mostly buses and private vehicles, was still a problem as the vessel had listed.

The PCG needs to bring the ship to an upright position for the rolling cargoes to be removed, he added. 

The PCG has coordinated with Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp. to put an oil spill boom around the ship in case an oil spill occurs. 

The steel-hulled M/V Baleno 168 left the Batangas port at 6:30 a.m. yesterday. But as it was preparing to dock at the Calapan port at 9 a.m., its right propeller was detached, causing water to seep in.

Balilo said the ship captain managed to negotiate the ship toward the pier, and PCG personnel promptly helped its passengers and crewmen disembark. – With Arnell Ozaeta