The Philippine Coast Guard, assisted by the crew of a passing vessel, carried out the evacuation of passengers and crew from a Ro-Pax ferry that ran aground off the coast of Occidental Mindoro in the Philippines on April 5th.
The ferry Our Lady of Fatima 03 had departed Tilik Port bound for Nasugbu in Batangas province when the vessel became stranded approximately 670 metres from the shoreline shortly after 07:45 local time. Weather and sea conditions in the area at the time were reported to range from calm to moderate.
According to the Philippine Coast Guard, the vessel was carrying 162 passengers and 8 crew members, a total within the authorised passenger capacity of the ship. The ferry had no cargo on board, while its tanks contained about 250 litres of diesel fuel and approximately 45 litres of lubricating oil.
Rescue operations were conducted shortly after the grounding. Passengers were transferred to the ferry Princess Christine II, which had arrived in the vicinity to render assistance. The evacuees were subsequently transported back to Tilik Port, where disembarkation was completed by around 09:20.
Authorities later confirmed that no injuries had been reported during the incident and that no signs of oil discharge or marine pollution had been observed in the area. Initial information from the vessel’s captain suggested that the grounding may have been related to shallow conditions associated with low tide over a rocky seabed.
Following the incident, the vessel’s master was instructed to file a marine protest while the crew prepared to conduct an underwater inspection of the hull to determine whether any structural damage had occurred. Maritime authorities also initiated a formal investigation into the circumstances surrounding the grounding.