Marines rescue 13 as boat catches fire in Tawi-tawi

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – Marines rescued 13 people, six of them minors, who jumped overboard when a passenger boat caught fire in the waters off Tawi-tawi province on Sunday, May 15.

Naval Forces Western Mindanao (NFWM) spokesman Lieutenant Chester Ross Cabaltera said the boat went into flames as a result of engine trouble.

Cabaltera said the passengers panicked, and jumped overboard as soon as the overheated engine caught fire.

Marines stationed in Batu-Batu in Panglima Sugala town in Tawi-Tawi rushed to the area after they received a text message about the burning boat between the Nantabuan and Banaran islands in Sapa-Sapa.

The Navy identified the adults rescued as:

• Sukarno Maring, 72 years old
• Sitti Selfa, 37
• Nurfaiza Maring, 31
• Salizada Maring, 27
• Ridwan Maring, 21
• Nelson Tayting, 50
• Nenyang Tayting, 45

Brigadier General Romeo Racadio, commander of the 2nd Marine Brigade, said the rescued passengers, all from Tawi-tawi, were taken to Lamion, Bongao town where they were given care by the Naval Task Group’s Forward Support Medical Team. – Rappler.com

Frencie Carreon is a Mindanao journalist and an awardee of the Aries Rufo Journalism Fellowship