Super Shuttle ferry sinks off Manila Bay, 15 crew rescued

(Updated 8:07 p.m.) A shuttle ferry sank off Manila Bay Sunday night amid big waves, heavy rain and strong winds brought by Typhoon Luis (Kalmaegi).

 

Many of the crewmembers were traumatized after being separated from each other when the Super Shuttle Ferry 7 sank, GMA News' Victoria Tulad reported on Unang Balita.

 

The crewmembers held on aboard life rafts for two hours after the ferry sank at about 8 p.m. Coast Guard rescue teams found them off the Baywalk area at 10 p.m.

 

Fourteen of the 15 crewmembers were initially found. They were shivering from the cold and had difficulty walking. One had difficulty even sitting because of body pains.

 

"Pasalamat lang kami sa Diyos dahil natulungan naman ... kahit may galos kaunti okay naman kami," said Michael Adlaon, one of the 14 initially found.

 

He said they failed to save most of their belongings and escaped with only a few documents and their mobile phones.

 

The 15th crewmember, a security guard of the vessel, was found at midnight. He said he clung on to a piece of plywood.

 

A photo tweeted by GMA News' Tulad showed the last survivor sustaining an injury to his knee.

Napahiwalay na guard ng MV Super Shuttle Ferry 7, nahanap na; nakalutang daw siya gamit ang plywood. | @victoriatulad pic.twitter.com/SIKQsNq6qj

— GMA News (@gmanews) September 14, 2014
 

 Oil spill watch 

Meanwhile, Philippine Coast Guard Armand Balilo said they are monitoring the sunken ferry for possible oil spill.

"Pinaiikutan namin siya sapagkat may portion pa po na nakaangat at maging hassle sa navigation," he said in an interview on GMA News TV's "News To Go" on Monday. "Pangalawa, tinitingnan natin kung may lamang langis ito kaya binabantayan namin ito."

He said the vessel was just "taking shelter" at Manila Bay, where it sank off amid big waves, heavy rain and strong winds brought by Typhoon Luis. —Joel Locsin and Rose-An Jessica Dioquino/KG/KBK, GMA News