ZAMBOANGA CITY ? Sailors aboard BRP General Mariano Alvarez rescued a wooden-hulled vessel in distressed with 90 people aboard off Tawi-Tawi, the Western Mindanao Naval Command (WMNC) said Friday.

Capt, Hilarion Cecista, WMNC acting commander, said the wooden-hulled vessel was rescued Thursday evening off the coast of Languyan, Tawi-Tawi.

Cecista said the crew launched rescue operation after they received a distress call around 1:30 p.m. via Viber from a passenger , reporting that the vessel was experiencing mechanical trouble approximately 3.4 nautical miles north of Tumbagaan Island.

The wooden-hulled ship had departed the island town of Pangutaran in Sulu, and was en route to the island municipality of Sibutu in Tawi-Tawi, carrying a total of 90 passengers when the engine malfunctioned.

Cecista said BRP General Mariano Alvarez safely towed the vessel in distress to Chinese Pier in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi. DMS