A 1,500-ton cargo vessel loaded with about 1,000 metric tons of animal feeds for delivery to a business establishment in Dumaguete ran aground Monday, at the marine sanctuary in Barangay Banilad, in the city.

Capt. Laurencio Demape, ship captain of MV Jake Vincent Dos came from Subic Bay and the vessel was bound for the Ducomi pier in Bacong. He said he mistakenly presumed upon seeing the pilot house of Sta. Monica Beach Resort that it was the Ducomi pier in Bacong, so he maneuvered for docking until it got stuck in the corals.

All of the 15 crew members and five passengers on board the vessel, including two kids were safe, a report from the Philippine Coast Guard in Dumaguete said.

Bantay Dagat chief Marcial Macias said that, while the vessel was seen in the marine sanctuary area at around 2:30 a.m., they noticed that the ship did not move and was already stuck in the corals.

Macias said that, based on his inquiry from one of the crew members, the ship was traveling from Olongapo City and was supposed to dock in DUCOMI wharf in San Miguel, Bacong, to unload the feeds for New Bian Yek Commercial.

Macias immediately contacted the Philippine Coast Guard and the Fisheries Division of the City Agriculture office and conducted an inspection of any suspected contraband and some baggage owned by passenger Karen Valdez, who had hitched a ride on the vessel from Olongapo City but decided to disembark in Dumaguete.

Valdez said they did not notice when the vessel got stuck in the beach since they were sleeping. She said she's thankful that all of them were safe. Dwight Arnaiz of the City Agriculture Office was also present to access the extent of damage wrought on aquatic resources, such as the coral reefs.

The Coast guard advised the ship captain to file his marine protest with the Bureau of Marine Inquiry and Silliman University Marine Laboratory to assess the damage.

Arnaiz said they will demand that the shipping company pay for the damage they have done to the corals.

He admitted being saddened with the incident because they have protected the marine sanctuary for four years and it was destroyed instantly.

Arnaiz suggested that the vessel wait for high tide in order to sail back. He said the ship should not use their engine in extricating itself from the sanctuary, but instead use a tugboat to move it.*MA/RG

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