ILOILO City – Sea travel across parts of Western Visayas ground to a halt Friday. Inclement weather due to a typhoon-enhanced southwest monsoon forced the suspension of several voyages, leaving 87 passengers, 61 rolling cargoes, and multiple vessels stranded.
The Philippine Coast Guard enforced strict safety measures amid deteriorating weather conditions. Passenger safety is the most important, it stressed.
Passenger and cargo vessel operations in Iloilo and Aklan were cancelled, disrupting inter-island transport as authorities prioritized the safety of commuters, crews, and vessels.
“The Coast Guard continues to closely monitor sea conditions and implement necessary safety measures. We advise the public to follow travel advisories and coordinate with shipping companies before proceeding to ports,” said Lt. Jg. Adrin Barnizo, spokesperson of Coast Guard District Western Visayas.
As of 11 a.m. Friday, Coast Guard records showed 87 stranded passengers, 61 stranded rolling cargoes, one stranded vessel, two sheltering vessels, and one sheltering motorbanca across Western Visayas.
Among the canceled trips were Montenegro Lines fastcraft voyages between Iloilo City and Bacolod City, passenger boat services between Lapuz Wharf and Jordan, Guimaras, and the MV LCT route linking Bay-ang Port in Ajuy, Iloilo, and Manta-angan Port in E.B. Magalona, Negros Occidental.
In Aklan, the Coast Guard also suspended scheduled sailings from Caticlan Port to Batangas Port, Dangay Port, and Bulalacao Port in Oriental Mindoro, as well as trips from Alegria Port to Dangay Port.
Barnizo said Coast Guard stations in Capiz, Guimaras, and Antique had not reported any trip cancellations as of the latest monitoring period.
“Our primary concern is the safety of passengers, crews, and vessels. These precautionary measures are necessary while sea conditions remain affected by the weather disturbance,” he said./PN
