BATANGAS—Hundreds of people onboard Starlite Nautica traversing to Calapan cried for help and started to panic after the ferry bumped its sister ferry, Starlite Navigator when it was being towed after its engine broke down.

When the Starlite Nautica slightly collided with the Navigator, people staying at the rear-end of the Starlite Nautica immediately got their life jackets and were readying to leave the ferry.

At 8:45 p.m., Starlite Nautica announced that it needed to stop to rescue another ship that encountered an engine problem after it received a distress call from the Navigator

The two ferry ships stopped between Ilihan, Batangas and Verde Island.

Women and children, including a seven-month old child were crying for help.

In a telephone interview, MARINA administrator Len Bautista assured two boats will be sent to provide assistance.

Janice Castro, an employee of Bureau of Soils of the Department of Agriculture, said after the commotion, she called up the Philippine Coast Guard in Manila to ask for aid.

“Sa Batangas port tumatawag ako pero walang sumasagot. Tapos ung crew ng Starlite hindi nila pinapakalma ang tao,” she said.

“Tapos sabi pa wag maglagay ng life vests para hindi magpanic ang tao, puwede ba yun?,” she added.

Castro said she talked to Joy Villegas of Public Information-Philippine Coast Guard Manila who assured that assistance will be provided.

Villegas told her that Starlite Shipping Lines was informed of the incident before the Coast Guard.

The passengers, clad in their life jackets, were complaining of the slow deployment of rescue teams to the area.

Another passenger who didn’t want to be named lambasted the ferry’s crew for not informing the passengers on what was happening, and this prompted the commotion.

As of this posting, Nautica had started to pull its sister ship, but after an hour, it decided to leave the Navigator to be aided by a Coast Guard team.

The passengers’ fears could not be appeased because they feared that the attempt to pull its sister ship would lead to its sinking.

“Sa pahila-hila na yan, madadamay lang kami,” another passenger said.

The passengers heaved a sigh of relief after Nautica decided not to pull the Navigator.

“Mahinahon na rin. Nakakatakot kasi. Sinabi nang wag nang hiklahin Natatkot ako kasi baka tayo sumundo sa lumubog na barko. Kawawa naman ang mga bata,” the passenger, who is on its way to Antique via Mindoro, said.

Marivic Lorenzo, 26, who is among those who first got life vests, cried for her children’s safety.

“Hindi pa rin po maalis ang pagalala ko kahit hindi na hinihila ang barko,” she, still clad in her orange life jacket, said.

The Navigator was left stranded in Batangas waters at press time, waiting assistance from the Coast Guard.

Mindorenos have not recovered from the Baleno sea tragedy that killed six people and left more than 40 others missing on December 26.