Zamboanga city: The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), through the Coast Guard Station (CGS)-Zamboanga, has lifted the suspension of boat trips from Zamboanga City to the island provinces of Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, following a significant improvement in weather conditions.
According to Philippines News Agency, the decision to resume services was made after the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) reported that Tropical Cyclone Inday had weakened into a typhoon. PAGASA anticipates that Inday will continue to weaken but remain a typhoon until it exits the Philippine Area of Responsibility by Saturday.
In a sea travel advisory issued on Thursday, CGS-Zamboanga announced, "The temporary suspension of trips of all vessels and watercrafts regardless of tonnage plying Zamboanga City to Sulu and Tawi-Tawi is hereby lifted." This lifting of the suspension has been mirrored by the counterparts of CGS-Zamboanga, including CGS-Western Sulu, CGS-Eastern Sulu, and CGS-Central Tawi-Tawi, allowing for the resumption of all boat trips in their respective areas, including those traveling to and from Zamboanga City.
Despite the resumption, CGS-Zamboanga has urged skippers of all vessels and watercraft to practice extreme caution and implement all necessary safety measures, given the prevailing unfavorable weather and sea conditions. The local forecast from PAGASA Zamboanga Radar Station predicts cloudy skies with scattered rain and thunderstorms in the Zamboanga Peninsula, Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi due to the southwest monsoon. The weather bureau also warned of potential flash floods or landslides due to moderate to heavy rainfall, with winds expected to be moderate to strong from the southwest, leading to moderate to rough sea conditions.
In a related incident, personnel from the Basilan Maritime Police Station (MARPSTA) successfully rescued 10 individuals from a motorboat affected by severe weather off the coast of Barangay North Gaunan, Maluso, Basilan on July 7. The rescue operation was launched at approximately 5:10 p.m. after receiving distress calls, and within ten minutes, all passengers were safely brought to shore without any reported injuries or fatalities. The motorboat had encountered trouble due to adverse weather and strong waves while traveling from waters off Takela Island to Maluso, Basilan.
