Vessel Runs Aground Off Talisay City

A fast ferry ran aground at around 8 pm Thursday off the coast of Lawis Ledge in barangay Tangke, Talisay City.

Aluminum passenger hull boat Weesam Express 7 was ferrying 160 passengers from Ormoc City and was approaching the Cebu City port when it hits a shallow portion of the sea in Lawis ledge, Talisay City.

As of 9:15 pm Thursday, a sister fast craft, Weesam Express 8, owned by SRN Fast sea craft, was helping passengers alight from the grounded vessel so they could be brought ashore safe.

Members of the Philippine Coast Guard were also seen assisting the rescue operation. There has been no injuries reported so far.

As of this posting, authorities were still investigating the cause of the incident.

It can be recalled that Lawis Ledge, which is part of the province’s “nautical highway,” was where St. Thomas Aquinas of 2Go Shipping sunk and killed hundreds of passengers after it collided against Sulpicio lines’ cargo vessel in August last year.

In 2011, some 208 passengers were rescued when Weesam Express 8 ran aground in Lawis Ledge after its propeller got caught in the seabed due to shallow waters.

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