PCG: Elements of the Philippine Coast Guard in Camiguin have successfully rescued the crew members of a sinking passenger-cargo vessel yesterday in Balbagon.

The rescued seafarers were onboard MV Super Shuttle Ferry 11 and was siphoning seawater from her grounded sister ship, MV Super Shuttle Ferry 15 when the incident occurred.

The personnel of Coast Guard Sub Station (CGSS) Camiguin immediately ordered the crew to suspend its siphoning operations when they noticed that MV Super Shuttle Ferry 11 was already listing on its portside.

The ship officers and crew abandoned ship five minutes later.

The Special Operations Unit Northern Mindanao (SOU-NM) personnel immediately conducted rescue operation on scene and successfully rescued all officers and crew of MV SSF-11.

Personnel from MEPU-NM and SOU-NM laid spill boom around the distressed vessel to prevent any act of oil spill in the vicinity.

Finally, the Coast Guard directed the Asian Marine Transport Corporation and owner representative to hire a registered salvor company to salvage the submerged MV Super Shuttle Ferry-11 and grounded MV Super Shuttle Ferry 15 as soon as possible.  The master of the vessel was also advised to submit a marine protest regarding the said incident.