Cargo ship Aztec Maiden waiting to be pulled out to sea, Pinoy crew safe

A member of the Filipino crew on board the cargo ship stranded in Dutch waters assured that they are safe, the Consulate General at the Hague said Saturday.

 

In an interview with GMA News that was aired over “24 Oras Weekend,” Consul General Frank Cimafranca said one of the 20 Filipino crewmembers on board the Philippine cargo ship “Aztec Maiden” called them to say they were unharmed.

 

“Essentially, sinasabi na not to worry because they’re all right. And, in fact, by 2:00 daw, this afternoon yata, they will be proceeding to Amsterdam na,” Cimafranca said without naming the Filipino.

 

The Royal Dutch Coast Guard echoed the assurance, saying that the ship “is steady on the ground.”

 

“There are 21 crewmembers—all good, no panic on board. Now we’re waiting for the service boats that will pull the ship into the sea,” said Werner Visser, a skipper for the Royal Dutch Coast Guard.

 

Meanwhile, Switzer spokesperson Radeengs Cor said they decided “it was safer to ask the crew to remain on board rather than try and take them off on the difficulty of the circumstances.”

 

The Coast Guard there will conduct a refloating operation when high tide comes, the report said, adding that there is no harm of an oil spill.

 

The Philippine-registered vessel ran aground 200 meters from the beach of Wijk aan Zee at around 6 a.m. (the Netherlands time), near the Dutch port of Ijmuiden, northwest of Amsterdam, Reuters said. The report quoted Dutch agency ANP, which wrote that the ship’s captain—the only Dutch on board—said the vessel drifted towards the coastline after breaking its anchor.

 

Meanwhile, the GMA News report said the ship’s owner, TBS Group of Companies, has yet to issue a statement. — ELR, GMA News