67 rescued from half-submerged boat in Quezon

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said all 60 passengers and 7 crew members of Motorbanca Jovelle Express 3 were rescued after the boat partially submerged off the waters of Polillo in Quezon on Thursday.

The passengers were brought to the barangay hall of Barangay Macnit and were assessed in good physical condition, the PCG said.

Reports received by the PCG said the boat left Patnanungan Port at 10 a.m. for Real, Quezon with the passengers, crew members and 15 boxes of assorted fish.

"While underway, said boat incurred damage to its forward part as a hard material accidentally hit the boat causing the motorbanca to take in water," the PCG said.

At around 1 p.m., the Coast Guard substation in Patnanungan received a message from one of the passengers informing it of the vessel in distress.

The PCG said it immediately dispatched its Deployable Response Group and established contact with Motorbanca Ada Jay, which was at that time rendering assistance to Jovelle Express in the area of the incident.

According to the Coast Guard Station in Northern Quezon, all passengers were wearing lifevests.  It added the boat sailed amid good weather condition.—Joviland Rita/Jiselle Anne Casucian/LDF, GMA Integrated News