A sea voyage turned tragic on Friday morning when a male passenger died after falling overboard from a roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) vessel in the waters off Batangas province. The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) confirmed the incident, which occurred while the ship was in transit, prompting an immediate emergency response.
The victim, identified as a 60-year-old male, was traveling aboard the MV St. Sariel, a vessel operated by 2GO Group. According to initial reports, the passenger went over the side of the ship as it was navigating near the Batangas coast. Crew members immediately launched a rescue operation and managed to recover the man from the water.
Upon being brought back on board, the ship’s medical personnel and responding PCG rescuers performed emergency first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). The vessel then proceeded to the Batangas Port, where a waiting ambulance rushed the victim to a nearby hospital. Despite the life-saving efforts of medical professionals, he was pronounced dead on arrival.
The Philippine Coast Guard has commenced a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the fall. Authorities are currently reviewing the ship’s security footage and gathering testimonies from crew members and fellow passengers to determine if the incident was accidental or if other factors were involved.