The Philippine Coast Guard has reported the successful evacuation of passengers from an interisland ferry, Maria Oliva, which grounded on Monday, November 11th. The incident, captured in striking images, concluded with all passengers safely brought ashore, while the coast guard continues to assess the vessel’s condition and investigate the cause of the grounding.
The Maria Oliva, a 371-gross-ton RoPax ferry built in Japan in 1973, has been operating inter-island routes in the Philippines since 1997. The vessel was en route on a 6-hour passage through the Romblon region in central Philippines when it grounded near Romblon Port. At the time of the incident, the ferry carried 156 passengers, 38 crew members, and 26 trucks.
Upon notification, the Coast Guard Station Romblon dispatched a rigid hull inflatable boat to assist in the evacuation. Additional support was provided by the provincial government, which deployed a speedboat, and by the municipal disaster risk reduction and management office, which contributed a rescue boat to augment the operation. All passengers were safely transferred to Romblon Port, with the exception of a dialysis patient and companion, who remained on board to maintain access to medical equipment housed in their vehicle.
The Coast Guard has observed no signs of oil leakage or flooding aboard Maria Oliva. The vessel remains under close surveillance to monitor any movement as plans to refloat it are considered. The ferry is operated by Montenegro Shipping Lines, one of the Philippines' prominent ferry operators, which manages a fleet of 59 vessels across 39 ports on 3 islands.