Maritime police officers rescued 12 people, including six children, early Monday after receiving a distress call from a drifting motorboat off Zamboanga City. The rescue took place around 1:45 a.m. in the waters off Barangay Ayala, following a distress call received shortly after midnight, according to Capt. Allan Pestañas, boat officer of the Zamboanga City Maritime Police Station (ZC MARPSTA).
The stranded passengers, residents of Barangays Mampang and Baliwasan, were en route to Zamboanga City from Tabuan Lasa, Basilan. Investigation revealed that the motorboat’s propeller shaft broke down due to big waves minutes after departure, causing it to drift and run aground in shallow waters.
The Philippine weather bureau reported partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms over the Zamboanga Peninsula, Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi due to easterly winds.
The rescued individuals were brought to the Regional Maritime Unit-9 headquarters in Barangay Baliwasan and handed over to the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) for medical attention and assistance.
Capt. Pestañas advised sea travelers to monitor weather conditions before sailing to prevent accidents at sea.