An ambulance plunged into the sea before it could be loaded onto a barge at the Hula-Hula Port in Mabuhay, Zamboanga Sibugay.

Personnel from the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) and the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) pulled the vehicle out of the water using ropes.

Authorities said the driver was able to disembark safely before the ambulance fell. The vehicle was not carrying passengers at that time.

BFP said the ambulance, owned by the Olutanga Municipal Hospital, was supposed to be loaded onto a barge, but the driver allegedly failed to engage the brakes properly while parking, causing the vehicle to fall into the sea.

The ambulance was reportedly heading to Ipil town to pick up an oxygen tank when the incident happened.

“Sa pagpangutana nako (sa driver) unsa’y nahitabo gyud, wala na-properly engage ang handbrake. Mao to, ang ambulansya, naghinay-hinay og dagan padulong sa dagat,” BFP-9 Municipal Fire Marshal, SFO3 Michael Coquilla said.

Authorities took custody of the ambulance for assessment.

GMA Regional TV One Mindanao is reaching out to the driver of the ambulance and the management of the Olutangga Municipal Hospital for a statement, as of this writing.

(With reports from Efren Mamac, GMA Regional TV One Mindanao)