11 persons rescued from troubled yacht off Zambales
The Philippine Coast Guard rescued on Sunday 11 persons on board a yacht that experienced engine trouble off Cabangan, Zambales.
The Japan-made multi-role response vessel MRRV 4406, which was stationed in Manila, was deployed to rescue the passengers, including four children, on board the yacht "Fusion," owned by certain Wang He of Golden Fortune 101 Limetec and registered in Hong Kong.
According to PCG, the yacht experienced engine trouble when its fuel tank leaked and the fuel residue clogged the engine's fuel lines when it was on its way back to Subic Bay from Magalawa Island in Masinloc, Zambales.
The engine of the 25-gross ton, 17-meter long yacht conked out at around 6:10pm on Saturday, November 3, while it was approximately six nautical miles off Cabangan.
The PCG received the distress alarm, prompting PCG Commandant Elson Hermogino to order the Coast Guard District National Capital Region-Central Luzon to dispatch MRRV 4406 for the conduct of search and rescue.
The PCG Auxiliary at NCR, the volunteer arm of the Coast Guard, was also alerted to provide support.
A responding team from PCG Substation Masinloc under CG Subic provided initial response and arrived at the position of the yacht at around 1:00am Sunday, November 4, on board a 27-foot motorboat braving big waves in the area.
Tugboat "Stanford" of the Malayan Towage arrived at around 3:00am to tow the yacht to Subic.
PCG said that MRRV 4406, with the rescued passengers, safely arrived at Subic port at 8:00am, while the crippled yacht at around 11:00am.
No one was hurt in the incident, it said. Celerina Monte/DMS
