After receiving the report on the tragic incident last night between the two commercial vessels MV St Thomas De Aquinas of 2GO and MV Sulpicio Express 7, the Naval Forces Central, Philippine Navy immediately dispatched its personnel and floating assets to help in the intensive search and rescue with retrieval operations.
The Command initially sent its Patrol Gunboat 372 and 1 Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat (RHIB) with the Naval Special Operations Unit 5 (NAVSOU5) personnel with their complete diving gears. Initially, the team rescued 29 survivors with minor injuries and immediately gave first aid medication. They have also rescued 1 infant who is in critical condition and immediately turned over to PCG SARV 3502 for the evacuation to Pier 1, Cebu City for immediate medical treatment.
Around 4:00 am this morning the NAVSOU5 already conducted underwater SAR operations to initially locate the position of the sunken vessel. Moreover, the Command added another RHIB with additional personnel in the area to assist in the underwater search and rescue with retrieval operations.
At 8:am this morning, the NAVSOU5 of the Philippine Navy had already located the sunken MV St Thomas De Aquinas and started retrieval of dead bodies. They identified its location at 763 yards West of Lauis Ledge, Cebu with an estimated depth of 150 ft.
Additional Philippine Navy technical divers with complete equipment from Palawan is about to arrive in Cebu to help in the retrieval operations.
As of 10:00 am this morning all members of NAVSOU5 with their 2 RHIBs, PG372 and DF339 Philippine Navy are still conducting the underwater search and retrieval operation at the vicinity of the sunken vessel with the Commander Naval Forces Central, COMMODORE REYNALDO L YOMA AFP leading the Navy group.
[mappress] Press Release, August 19, 2013; Image: Navy