SURIGAO CITY – At least all the 45 passengers and 17 crewmembers were reported safe and secured after a Roll-On, Roll-Off (Ro-Ro) vessel stalled several minutes after leaving the Lipata Port in Surigao City on Sunday.

A sketchy report reaching the region’s disaster coordinating council on Monday stated that the Liloan, Southern Leyte-bound “M/V Millennium” drifted at sea for almost four hours.

It was gathered that the water inside the vessel mixed with the engine fuel causing it to stall.

Officers and crewmen of the Ro-Ro-type vessel are still looking into the cause of the incident.

All the passengers and crew members were safe during the incident, the report said.

As this developed, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in this city invited vessel Capt. Aniano Ferolino for investigation, it was gathered.

The Liloan, Southern Leyte-bound “M/V Millennium” vessel is reportedly owned by the Millennium Shipping Company in this city.

However, the management of the shipping company did not issue any statement as investigation is still going on.

“Thanks to Almighty God that all the passengers and all our crew were safe,” a shipping officer who requested anonymity, however, said.