GROUNDED VESSEL. A Vietnamese vessel MV Globe 6 was grounded on the shores of Barangay Semirara in Caluya town on Aug. 12, 2020. The local agent of the vessel is now negotiating with the Semirara Mining and Power Corporation in Barangay Semirara for towing on August 16. (Photo courtesy of PCG Antique Station)
SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique – A Vietnamese vessel that was grounded on the shores of Barangay Semirara in Caluya town is set to be towed on Sunday, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) here said.
With 17 crew members on board, including the boat captain, the vessel left Vietnam last August 6 carrying 113,000 bags of rice under consignment bound for Davao Port.
However, while passing Barangay Semirara on August 12, the vessel ran aground on a coral portion of the sea due to high tide intensified by a tropical depression that hit Antique.
PCG Antique Station Senior Chief Petty Officer Alan Mandado said the local agent of the vessel MV Globe 6 is now negotiating with the Semirara Mining and Power Corporation (SMPC) in Barangay Semirara for a tugboat to tow the grounded vessel on Sunday.
“The vessel that grounded in Barangay Semirara will be towed right after the sacks of Vietnamese rice would be transferred to a barge,” he said in an interview Saturday.
However, the crew of the vessel will not be allowed to go down in the area because of the health safety protocol in Caluya amid coronavirus disease pandemic.
An underwater investigation was conducted by the PCG and other concerned government agencies on Friday to see if there had been damaged to the vessel.
“So far during the underwater investigation yesterday (August 14), there had been no damage found on the vessel,” Mandado said.
He said no leak was found that could damage the sacks of rice. (PNA)
