BUTUAN CITY – A private-owned pump boat sank off the town of San Jose in the Province of Dinagat Islands on Monday, authorities reported.
In a report by the Provincial Information Office of Province of Dinagat Islands (PDI), the pump boat loaded with seven passengers traveled from Surigao City to San Jose town when rammed by big waves due to the severe weather condition in the area brought about by Severe Tropical Storm (STS) Ursula.
The boat sank at around 1:45 p.m. on Monday, the report added.
Philippine Coast Guard in Dinagat Islands personnel together with the members of the rescue team from the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office and the Bureau of Fire Protection were immediately sent to conduct rescue operations, provincial information officer Jeff Crisostomo told Philippine News Agency on Tuesday.
Crisostomo said the seven passengers were rescued at around 3:30 p.m. on the same day.
Following the incident, Dinagat Islands Governor Arlene “Kaka” Bag-ao also asked the residents in the area to refrain from traveling and update themselves on information regarding the STS Ursula.
“We advise all marine vessels, regardless of weight class, to heed the order of the Philippine Coast Guard to suspend all voyages while we are covered by the tropical cyclone wind signal warning,” Bag-ao said in a statement on Tuesday.
The PCG-Surigao del Norte has suspended on Monday all sea travels in the PDI and toward the towns in Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte. -PNA
