58 rescued as RORO vessel tilts in Quezon

Some 58 passengers and crew members were rescued by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) after a roll on roll off (RORO) vessel tilted towards the side 10 meters from Real Port at Barangay Ungos in Real, Quezon around 12:44am on 30 October 2026.

Passengers of the RoRo/passenger vessel MV Virgen de Peñafrancia II, including two infants, were evacuated, with the rescue operation concluding at around 3:30am.

They were assessed by the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office of Real, confirming that all passengers and crew members were in good physical condition.

The distressed vessel, operated by Starhorse Shipping Lines Inc., was traveling from Polillo Port to Real Port carrying 14 rolling cargoes when the incident occurred.

According to PCG Spokesperson, Commodore Noemie Cayabyab, while marine diesel oil naturally dissipates, the Coast Guard is still deploying oil spill booms to protect the nearby coastal community. PCG personnel are also inspecting the vessel's remaining fuel and oil inventory to assess possible marine pollution, as the crew shared the vessel had 1,300 liters of marine diesel oil in its service tank.

"We have directed the shipping company to apply for an Emergency Salvage Permit and undertake measures to safely remove the distressed vessel," Commodore Cayabyab said.

"Further investigation and monitoring are ongoing to determine the cause of the incident and assess its environmental impact," she added.

The PCG Spokesperson said sea passengers within Southern Tagalog will not be affected by the maritime incident.

"The Coast Guard District Southern Tagalog has recorded the highest passenger volume across all PCG Districts nationwide, with 4,107 outbound and 4,373 inbound passengers from 12mn to 6am today, October 30. Rest assured that our personnel will continue to intensify secure and safety inspections amid the observance of Undas to uphold sea passenger welfare," Commodore Cayabyab emphasized.⁩