ZAMBOANGA CITY — The Naval Forces Western Mindanao rescued eight passengers and crew of a motor launch off Sibutu Island in Tawi-Tawi province after their boat suffered engine trouble en route to Bongao.

NFWM Commander Rear Admiral Toribio Adaci Jr. reported that the BRP Florencio Inigo — a patrol craft of Naval Task Group Tawi-Tawi — rescued the eight passengers and crew of M/L Rihana in the vicinity of the waters off Sibutu Island, Tawi-Tawi at 2:20 a.m. on Tuesday.

Adaci said due to rough sea conditions, the vessel encountered engine trouble while the motor launch was sailing from Turtle Islands to Bongao, the capital town of the province.

He added that concerned fishermen of Sibutu who were near the area reported the incident to their relatives in Sibutu proper who immediately relayed the information to the Navy Littoral Monitoring Station Bongao.

Upon receipt of the information, the Naval Task Group immediately deployed a Navy patrol craft PC393 to rescue the passengers and crews of the distressed motor launch.

Adaci identified the rescued skipper of M/L Rihana as Abdulmar Mai. The seven others remained unidentified.