2 cargo ships sink in Philippines

"A cargo ship loaded with cement sank in central Philippines on Sunday and another vessel carrying iron ore went down off the country’s eastern coast, the coast guard said. All 32 crewmen from both ships were rescued.
The ship carrying iron ore, the Panamanian-registered M/V Sun Spirit, began to list Saturday off Catanduanes province and sent a distress signal.
Though coast guard officials immediately deployed three ships and a helicopter for a search and rescue, it was a Philippine cargo ship and a fishing boat that saved the crew of 12 Indonesians and two Koreans, who had abandoned the ship, coast guard Admiral Ramon Liwag said.
It was not immediately clear why the ship sank. It was bound for China after leaving the central Philippine province of Leyte, officials said.
Separately, a Philippine cargo ship with 18 Filipino crewmen sank early Sunday off central Antique province when its hull hit a hard object and took in water. The crewmen were rescued by fishing boats, coast guard spokesman Lieutenant Commodore Algier Ricafrente said.
The M/V Seaford 2 was destined for Antique with about 35,000 sacks of cement. Coast guard and Antique officials were monitoring any possible oil spill from the sunken vessel, which left southern Iligan city with 2,377 gallons (9,000 liters) of oil for fuel, Ricafrente said. "

Source: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/132433/2-cargo-ships-sink-in-philippines-32-aboard-saved

PH cargo ship successfully re-floated

WIJK AAN ZEE - After 17 hours of being stranded at the coastline of Wijk aan Zee in the Netherlands, Filipino cargo ship MV Aztec Maiden was successfully re-floated at around five in the afternoon here on Saturday.
The tug boat from towing company Svitzer, commissioned by the ship's owner, Dry Cargo International, finally managed to tow the ship to open sea after two unsuccessful attempts.
The high waves and strong winds in the coast made the towing even more difficult. The ship was slowly pulled towards the port of Ijmuiden, but an inspection would be done first before the ship is allowed to move there.
The 155-meter long, 24-meter wide Aztec Maiden was first spotted 200 meter off the shore of Wijk aan Zee at around 8 a.m. Friday morning

According to the Dutch coast guard, they received a report from Ijmuiden that the ship was stranded because the anchor did not hold. They immediately sent helicopters to monitor the condition and check for damages.

According to the press office of the Dutch coast guard, all 21 crew members including the captain were all safe. No evacuation took place but the Koninklijke Nederlandse Redding Maatschappij (KNRM) was on stand by all night and all day until Saturday on the beach of Wijk aan Zee in case anything happens.
The ship was not carrying any cargo.
The tug boat levoli Black of the Dutch coastguard was first dispatched to the scene to help in pulling the boat to an upright position, but its attempt was unsuccessful. Not long after, the owner of the MV Aztec Maiden commissioned Svitzer for the towing services.
At 1:00 am Saturday, towing works began but the rope broke once again. The tug boats have to wait until the water is deep enough to resume work. At around 1:00 p.m., the towing began again but another rope broke. Finally at 4:45 p.m., after an underwater inspection and another visit from a Dutch coast guard helicopter, the ship was allowed to be pulled to the port of Ijmuiden.

Another inspection would have to take place before the ship is finally allowed to anchor in the port.
Thousands of people flocked to the beach of Wijk aan Zee to watch the towing, which caused heavy traffic in the area.

Source: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/global-filipino/01/22/12/ph-cargo-ship-successfully-re-floated
            http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=7854

Philippine cargo ship stranded off Wijk aan Zee coast - The Netherlands

"a 155 metre long Philippine ship, the Aztec Maiden, carrying 21 crew and no cargo, was stranded off the beach of Wijk aan Zee . Hundreds of local people gathered to watch the stranded vessel. There were no reports of injuries after the ship broke free and drifted, coming to rest on sand about 200 metres offshore. A local salvage firm will try to refloat the ship at high tide, the coastguard said."

 Source: http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=7854

Heroes of Costa Concordia: Pinoy Crewmen

While many of the Filipino crewmembers of Costa Concordia came home on Thursday with nothing but the clothes on their backs, one of them, Reyson Cartago, had with him a video showing the hospitality crew’s resilience and bayanihan amid the chaos in the tipping ship reportedly left by its captain.

The video footage—which Cartago shared with GMA News—showed fragments of the incident, including rows of passengers putting on life vests and a messy kitchen that seemed to be shaking in real time.

As he helped out, Cartago also videotaped his Filipino colleagues—mostly cooks, dishwashers, and waiters—as they ran around, searching every nook and cranny to make sure that nobody was left behind the ship.

Some of the poignant moments in the video include a Filipino cook running to the altar and making a sign of the cross, two Filipinos helping a limping colleague walk, and Filipinos letting the foreign passengers get out of the ship first.



One can also overhear bits like a Filipino consoling a female passenger who was afraid of jumping off the ship. He said: “If something happens, it’s my responsibility, so I hope you understand. You’re going to have to, Madame.”

Panic was evident in the middle of the video, where a Filipino could be heard yelling at a colleague: “Kailangan na natin ibaba, lalo tayong tumatagilid! Lalo tayong sasabit ‘pag lalong tumagilid ‘to!”

By the end of the footage, calm was evident in the dark, where Cartago spoke: “Awa ng Diyos, naka-separate na kami sa mother ship, Concordia.”

Source: http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/245184/pinoyabroad/pinoy-crewmen-of-costa-concordia-praised-for-heroism