TWO Filipino crew members of a water taxi died and two foreign passengers were injured when their vessel collided with a passenger vessel off Verde Island in Batangas City yesterday afternoon.
Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesman Rear Adm. Armando Balilo said PCG probers were still investigating the cause of the collision.
Balilo said the incident occurred at 12:20 p.m. and involved the water taxi Hop & Go 1 and passenger vessel Ocean Jet 6.
The incident led to the death of the captain and third mate of the water taxi while two Chinese passengers were injured.
The water taxi also had three other foreign passengers – two Chinese and a Swedish – who were unharmed.
The five passengers and two other crew members of the water taxi were rescued, said Balilo.
“The wounded passengers are now receiving needed medical assistance, while the authorities are coordinating with the bereaved families of the two Filipino crew,” a PCG statement said.
The rescued crew members are currently at the Coast Guard Sub-Station Puerto Galera in Oriental Mindoro.
The PCG said the crew members were “providing their sworn statements regarding the maritime incident to determine the cause of the collision.”
The water taxi was being towed to Puerto Galera in Oriental Mindoro, where its yard is located, as of yesterday afternoon, the PCG said.
The PCG said all the 105 passengers and 19 crew members of Ocean Jet 6 were “safe and in good physical condition” when they arrived at the Calapan port, also Oriental Mindoro.
Ocean Jet 6 was on its way to Calapan port from Batangas while Hop & Go 1 was en route to Batangas from Puerto Galera at that time of the incident, the PCG said.
As to the cause of the collision, Balilo said: “It’s still under investigation.”
Balilo said initial information showed there was poor visibility and the sea was rough.
