4 hurt as 2 vessels collide off Talisay

At least four people were injured in a collision between a passenger vessel and a cargo ship Thursday evening at Lauis Ledge off Talisay City, Cebu.

The injured three passengers and a crewmember were identified as Daniel Fuentes, 38; Manuel Veloso Jr., 48; Anacleto Dico Jr., 47; and Cary Angelo Bilga, 28.

They were among the 70 passengers of M/V Fastcat M11 en route to Tubigon, Bohol when it collided with M/V Ocean United at 8:45 p.m. few minutes after it left the pier in Cebu City.

"Yung Fastcat is palabas ng South Channel en route to Tubigon then yung MV Ocean United naman po papasok en route to Pier 6," said Philippine Coast Guard-Central Visayas spokesperson Lt Junior Grade Mike Encina.

On August 16, 2013, the St. Thomas Aquinas and Sulpicio Express Siete collided near Lauis Ledge, killing 116 passengers and crew. About 750 persons survived.

Encina said the two vessels are currently grounded for investigation.

M/V Fastcat M11 sustained damage on its back while the cargo vessel's right side bow was also damaged.

All crewmembers and passengers were rescued safely.

The injured passengers were rushed to the hospital for treatment.

They sustained fractured arm, lacerations, abrasions, and swelling of soft tissues.

The Marine Environmental Team and Coast Guard divers were also dispatched to assess for oil spill. Encina, however, said no oil spill was observed.

The Archipelago Philippine Ferries Corporation, operator of FastCat Roll-On RollOff ferries, apologized to the passengers and cargo customers for the accident.

"The safety and welfare of our passengers is our utmost priority therefore, our Emergency Preparedness Team are already at the area to attend to all their needs, most especially to the three individuals who needed medical attention (including one from our crew). We are in close communication with their families and we have also extended financial assistance to them," the statement reads.

According to the management, its vessel, despite the damage it sustained, was safely navigated back to port and all passengers and 12 rolling cargo customers were safely unloaded.

They also thanked everyone who extended a helping hand, from their crew to the different government agencies and other private citizens.

It added that the management is conducting its own internal incident investigation and likewise fully cooperates with the Philippine Coast Guard, Maritime Industry Authority, Philippine Ports Authority and other government and nongovernment agencies' investigation.

"We would like to emphasize that though apparently the cause of the incident could not be attributed to our vessel, it is an important concern for us to identify the root cause so that we can take steps to prevent, if not eliminate the same from happening again as we strive to uphold the thrust of our company to put safety at the forefront," it added.