A SEA craft with 78 passengers and seven crewmen onboard which encountered engine trouble in rough waters off Tawi-Tawi was rescued by a Philippine Navy vessel on Tuesday.

Lt. Chester Ross Cabaltera, acting public affairs official of the Naval Forces Western Mindanao, said Navy patrol craft BRP Jose Loor Sr. (PC390) rescued 85 passengers and crewmen of the distressed vessel in the waters off Tawi-Tawi, south of Mindanao.

Cabaltera said the rescue operation took place February 13 following a distressed call received by the Naval Task Force 61 reporting engine trouble of motor launch M/L Dhielma in Sibutu Passage, some 50 kilometers off Sabah, Malaysia.

Upon receipt of the distress call, the Naval Task Force 61 swiftly deployed PC390 from Lamion Wharf in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi to conduct a maritime search and rescue mission for the troubled motor launch Dhielma.

To fast track the rescue, PC390 vessel called the Navy's Littoral Monitoring Station in Bongo, Tawi-Tawi to pinpoint the exact position of the distressed vessel off Sibutu Island.

By noon, PC390 established radar and visual contact with the motor launch which was seen at approximately nine nautical miles southwest of Bakalao Point, Sibutu, Tawi-Tawi.

Subsequently, at around 1:40 p.m., PC390 provided assistance by towing the troubled vessel toward Bongao, Tawi-Tawi where the passengers and crew members were served hot meals.

The boat was skippered by captain Ramal Hji Mallih, and laden with 78 passengers and seven crew members.

The M/L Dhielma was heading for Tawi Tawi from Tandu Banak, Sibutu when it encountered engine trouble.

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