Detained ship in Zambales runs aground; Chinese crew disembark

The seven Chinese crew of Sierra Leone-flagged MV Hyperline 988 disembark from their ship after it ran aground while leaving an unfinished port in San Felipe town, Zambales on Wednesday, May 29, due to the rough seas. (Photo courtesy of PCG)

SAN FELIPE, Zambales — The detained foreign aggregate carrier with seven Chinese crew had run aground at the unfinished pier in the vicinity waters off Barangay Maloma in this town on Wednesday, May 29.

Commander Euphraim Jayson Diciano, head of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) station in the province, said they approved the request from Sierra Leone-flagged MV Hyperline 988 to secure the vessel and its crew from the increasing roughness of the waves and currents.

The ship was eventually permitted to change anchorage in the waters off Barangay Bolitoc in Sta. Cruz town.

Diciano reported that while the vessel was about to leave the unfinished port, it ran aground due to the huge waves.

PCG personnel also observed the Chinese crew gathered on one side of the ship and communicated via hand signals that the captain was planning to abandon ship.

READ: PH Coast Guard detains vessel with 7 Chinese crew in Zambales town

The crew disembarked from the vessel and took shelter in the shaded area of the pier.

Personnel from the municipal health office arrived in the area to conduct a medical examination of the crew, and they were all found to be in good condition.

As of Thursday, the Chinese crew was still in the area.

Diciano said they had already contacted a salvage company to retrieve the vessel.

The ship was detained on May 16 due to 21 deficiencies discovered during an unauthorized anchorage at Barangay Sindol in San Felipe.

READ: Detained ship, Chinese crew still in Zambales

As early as May 25, PCG advised the vessel master to take shelter because of an impending typhoon.

Since there is no other safe place in the province for the vessel to take shelter, PCG instructed the crew to discuss the possibility of sheltering with the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) in Manila, but the vessel preferred to stay in Sindol due to the high anchorage fees in Manila.

On May 28, the vessel master informed PCG of their intent to convert the vessel from all Chinese to all Filipino crew, but the request was denied.