Navy, PCG rescue 68 from stalled vessel off Basilan

Navy troops and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) rescued 57 passengers and 11 crew members from the stalled Motor Launch (ML) Sulna off the coast of Basilan.

The vessel was en route from Zamboanga City to Taganak Island in Tawi-Tawi when its engine malfunctioned at Favorite Bank, near Panducan Point.

The NFWM dispatched Boat Attack 487 (BA487) and the PCG deployed Coast Guard-manned BFAR vessel MCS-3007 and Coast Guard Station Zamboanga to the scene.

BA487 rescued 17 passengers and transported them back to Zamboanga City.

Another commercial vessel, ML Salamat, and the PCG search and rescue team towed the distressed ML Sulna with its remaining passengers and crew members to Zamboanga City.

No passengers or crew members were injured during the incident.