Upon PBBM's directive to ensure safety of life at sea, responding agencies and nearby tugboats promptly addressed a fire incident aboard a motor tug vessel, M/Tug Sunjin 505, off the vicinity waters of Brgy. Sta. Rita Aplaya, Batangas City which occurred at approximately 2:50PM yesterday, 28 May 2025.

The incident was first reported by the Vessel Traffic Management System (VTMS), which allegedly detected a fire emanating from the auxiliary engine room of the vessel.

Upon receiving the alert, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG)-Coast Guard Station (CGS) Batangas immediately deployed a response team to the area. They were joined by personnel from the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP)-Sta. Rita, and responding agencies worked closely together to contain and extinguish the fire.

Nearby tugboats also rendered assistance in fire suppression efforts. A high-speed response boat from the PCG was dispatched to the scene to provide maritime security, monitor the evolving situation, and assist in the coordination of emergency operations.

All crew members were reported safe and unharmed, requiring no medical attention. Prior to the escalation of the fire, the crew had already evacuated the vessel as a precautionary measure.

BFP Maritime Fire Unit Batangas City declared fire out at 4:40PM. No evidence of an oil spill or any leakage from the subject tugboat were sighted in the area.

Accordingly, while the oiler was replacing the rubber impeller of the tugboat's auxiliary engine, he noticed that the wiring of the said engine had caught fire. He promptly informed the other crew members and proceeded to shut down all machinery. The crew then attempted to extinguish the fire using CO₂ fire extinguishers, however, due to the rapid build-up of thick smoke, the crew’s efforts to control it were unsuccessful.

As a precautionary measure, the distressed tug boat was towed away from its current position to prevent any unfortunate incident with nearby vessels while awaiting support in extinguishing the fire.

A thorough investigation will be conducted by the PCG's Maritime Casualty Investigation (MCI) Team to determine the root cause of the incident and recommend appropriate safety measures.

The PCG commends the swift coordination and response efforts of all involved agencies and units, ensuring the safety of personnel and mitigating potential environmental impact.