SAN JOSE, Antique – Strong winds and big waves stranded a barge approximately 200 meters away from the shoreline of Barangay Oloc, Laua-an in the northern part of Antique province on July 22.
Barge “ASC Lara”, which came from Barangay San Vicente, Palawan, reached Barangay Ilaures, Bugasong, Antique on July 17 supposedly to load aggregates.
However, it ran aground due to strong winds and big waves brought about by the southwest monsoon, said Senior Chief Petty Officer Alan Mandado, deputy station commander of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in Antique.
While being towed on Thursday, the towing line got severed, resulting to the barge’s grounding once again in Barangay Oloc.
“The barge was already being towed by M/Tug James from Barangay Ilaures, Bugasong to Pandan where it was supposed to seek shelter when its towing line got severed,” he said.
The barge needed to be towed from Bugasong to Pandan since its propeller was damaged.
All 17 crew members of the barge were safe onboard their vessel, Mandado said.
The barge will temporarily stay in the area until the seas become less rougher.
It would be towed again by the M/Tug James once the weather improves.
The barge was hired by a quarry permittee from Bugasong supposedly to get aggregates for shipment to Palawan. (PNA)
