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Tourist boat sinks off Palawan; crewmen, passengers safely rescued


Crewmen and guests were safely rescued from a tourist boat which sank in the waters off Helicopter Island in El Nido, Palawan on Monday.

According to the Philippine military, the Western Command Naval Ship BRP Nestor Reinoso (PC 380) responded to the emergency at noon after receiving a call from Captain Lakanni Hidalgo, security officer of Ayala Resort.

When PC 380 reached the area, a speedboat from the Miniloc resort was in the process of rescuing those aboard the sinking M/B Cleopatra.

The tourist boat M/B Cleopatra sailed from El Nido for a private island tour. Aboard were 10 Filipino guests, a tour guide, and three crewmen, including the vessel's captain Hayrone Sulayman.

As they sailed towards a small lagoon in Miniloc Island, heavy seas badly damaged the Cleopatra's bow.

Sulayman positioned the guests on his boat's fantail in an attempt to keep for the boat level, but the vessel continued to sink due to sea conditions.

Other tourist boats managed to come to the assistance of the Cleopatra and transferred the tourists off the sinking vessel.

The Cleopatra's crew, however, remained aboard even as the boat began to quickly drift towards the Dimumacad and Calaragnan Islands.

Eventually, all the guests and crewmen were rescued and all were back safe in El Nido by 1 p.m. — Anna Felicia Bajo/DVM, GMA News

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