NFWM Commander Commo. Armando Guzman said the vessel, carrying 67 people including seven crewmembers, was rescued on Thursday 4.8 nautical miles off Pangasinan, Simunul, Tawi-Tawi.

Guzman said Patrol Ship-19 (PS-19) towed ML Virginia to safety to Lamion Pier in Bongao town.

Of the 60 passengers, 28 were male adults, 20 female adults, five male children and seven female children, Guzman said.

Guzman said ML Virginia left Sipangkot Island bound for Lamion Pier in Bongao, the capital town of Tawi-Tawi, “when it incurred derangement on her main propulsion.”

Naval Task Force 62, upon receiving a distress call from the vessel, directed PS-19 to conduct a search-and-rescue operation to the distressed vessel amid rough seas and strong winds, Guzman said.

Battered by big waves, he said the vessel was listing on its port side while its crew was “bailing out” water using pails in an attempt to trim the vessel when the task force personnel onboard PS-19 arrived. He said the passengers, some throwing up because of violent rolling and pitching, were anxiously waiting for help.

Interviewed by PS-19 personnel, the ML Virginia’s crew confirmed that their main engine had a technical problem and “that they were already more than four hours dead-on-water,” he said.

Guzman said the PS-19, led by Cmdr. Ernesto Baldovino, immediately assisted the vessel, particularly providing the basic needs of the passengers.