By Teofilo Garcia, Jr.
ZAMBOANGA CITY – Maritime police officers have rescued 12 people, including six children, early Monday after they received a distress call from a drifting motorboat off this city.
Capt. Allan Pestañas, boat officer of the Zamboanga City Maritime Police Station (ZC MARPSTA), said the stranded passengers were rescued around 1:45 a.m. in the waters off Barangay Ayala, this city. The distress call was received shortly after midnight.
Pestañas said those rescued are residents of Barangays Mampang and Baliwasan in this city.
“All 12 passengers who were heading to Zamboanga City from Tabuan Lasa, Basilan were successfully rescued,” Pestañas said in his report.
Investigation showed the motorboat the group was riding drifted at sea and ran aground in shallow waters off Barangay Ayala after its propeller shaft broke down due to big waves as they were about to arrive in this city via a private wharf.
The weather bureau said Monday that partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms will prevail over Zamboanga Peninsula, Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi due to easterlies.
The rescued individuals were brought to the Regional Maritime Unit-9 headquarters in Barangay Baliwasan and turned over to the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) for immediate medical attention and appropriate assistance.
Pestañas advised the sea travelers to first monitor the weather conditions before sailing to avoid accidents at sea. (PNA)
