Passenger ship runs aground off Mindoro

A passenger ship ran aground while it was maneuvering to leave port in Mindoro Oriental province in Luzon before dawn on Friday. Radio dzBB's Allan Gatus cited initial reports reaching the Coast Guard indicating that the incident occurred at 4:30 a.m. near the Dangay Port in Roxas, Oriental Mindoro. The ship was bound for Aklan province in Western Visayas. All the 141 passengers aboard the vessel were safe. The initial investigation showed that the MV Shuttle 22 of Asian Maritime Transport Inc. was leaving for Caticlan in Aklan when strong winds and big waves tossed the ship and caused it to run aground. The Coast Guard said it is also verifying reports the ship encountered engine trouble while being buffeted by the waves. On the other hand, a separate report on dwIZ radio said some of the passengers panicked when they heard a supposed "order" to abandon ship. However, initial verification by the Coast Guard showed the vessel's captain and crew denied giving such an order to leave the vessel. –VVP, GMANews.TV