The Philippine Navy rescued 26 passengers after a wooden-hulled vessel sank near Turtle Islands in Tawi-Tawi, an official reported on Monday.
Rear Admiral Francisco Tagamolila Jr., commander of the Naval Forces Western Mindanao (NFWM), confirmed that 32 passengers of the M/L Bangsata were rescued around 10:05 p.m. on Sunday, approximately 17 nautical miles southeast of Turtle Islands.
Six additional passengers were rescued by a Malaysian vessel.
“Coordination is ongoing to facilitate their safe return,” Tagamolila said in a statement.
Survivors reported that the boat departed Turtle Islands at 1:45 a.m. on Sunday, heading for South Ubian, Tawi-Tawi. However, the Bangsata encountered rough seas and sank around 6 a.m., leaving passengers clinging to debris until their rescue.
The Singaporean-flagged tanker EONIA was the first to spot the distressed vessel and promptly alerted authorities. This allowed the Philippine Navy’s Naval Monitoring Station (NMS) Taganak and the BRP Jose Loor Sr. (PC-390) to initiate a swift rescue operation.
“NMS Taganak maintained continuous communication with EONIA, ensuring swift coordination and accurate location of the incident,” Tagamolila said.
The survivors were provided with medical assistance, food, and warm clothing aboard the PC-390 before being transported to Taganak Pier.
Upon arrival, they were handed over to the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office to receive further care and support.