Philippine Navy Personnel Aids Burning Cargo Vessel off Misamis Oriental

Philippine Navy personnel helped fight a blaze onboard a cargo ship sailing off Misamis Oriental Thursday afternoon.

Naval Forces Western Mindanao commander Rear Admiral Armado Guzman said Friday that the BRP-Emilio Liwag and BRP-Jose Loor Jr., skippered by Commander Rolando Guanzon and Lieutenant Arnold Simbajon respectively, which are stationed at the Iligan City pier, immediately responded to the distress call from the M/V Foxbat, which was 550 yards off Lugait Point, around 3:15 p.m.

The naval vessels were among those deployed to assist in search and retrieval operations for victims of tropical storm “Sendong” in Iligan and Cagayan de Oro cities.

Guzman said it took three hours for sailors to put out the blaze caused by faulty electrical wiring.

No casualties were reported although the fire damaged the crew’s berths, pilot house, galley and engine rooms, Guzman said.

The Foxbat, which has a crew of 18, is owned by Manila-based Loadstar Shipping and ferries cement from Iligan City to Manila and other ports in the country.