Joint Task Group Sulu Rescue Passenger-Cargo Vessel

Zamboanga City (PNA) – The Joint Task Group Sulu (JTGS) has safely rescued late Thursday a passenger-cargo vessel with 17 people and fuel aboard in the Sulu Sea.

Brig. Gen. Alan Arrojado, JTGS commander, said the vessel was safely rescued around 7:10 p.m. Thursday off Sulu.

Arrojado said the rescue came after Sulu second district Rep. Habib Tupay Loong have requested them to provide assistance to M/L TJ, which is in distress.

Arrojado said based on information they gathered the vessel’s engine malfunctioned while traveling from this city to Tumbagaaan Mining in Languyan town in Tawi-Tawi.

He said the vessel, which has 10 crew and seven passengers, departed in this city around 4 a.m. Thursday. It is also loaded with diesel fuel.

He said M/L TJ is owned by Najib Juljani and skippered by Razu Ragba.

He said M/L TJ is being towed by Multi-Purpose Attack Craft (MPAC) of the JTGS’ Naval Task Unit and is scheduled to arrive at the port of Jolo around 9 p.m. Thursday. (PNA) RMA/TPGJR