LAOAG CITY – Cargo vessel LCT MSCI 1 ran aground on Monday near the shoreline of Barangay La Virgen Milagrosa in Badoc, Ilocos Norte, according to local authorities.
An initial report from the Sinait Police Station in the neighboring province of Ilocos Sur stated that the vessel, which was carrying aggregates, was en route to Calayan Island in Cagayan province when stormy weather forced it ashore.
“Water entered the ballast tanks, causing the vessel to tilt,” the Sinait Police Station said in its report.
Through coordinated efforts by village watchmen, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), and the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Sinait and the adjacent town of Badoc, all 15 stranded crew members were rescued and brought safely ashore while waiting for the rough weather to subside.
According to the state weather bureau, the southwest monsoon or “habagat” is affecting the western sections of Northern and Central Luzon, while localized thunderstorms are impacting the Cagayan Valley region. (PNA)
