Occidental Mindoro court grants hold departure order vs 20 crew of MV Vienna Woods

July 15, 2020

A court in Occidental Mindoro granted a hold departure order  against the 20 crew members of MV Vienna Woods which collided with a fishing vessel late June, the Philippine Coast Guard ( PCG) said on Wednesday.

The 14 crew and passengers of the fishing vessel Liberty 5 have not been found, the PCG said.

"In relation to the criminal complaint for reckless imprudence resulting to multiple homicide and damage to property against  Nomikos Transworld Maritime, Ship Captain Zhang Wei Wei, Shi Bin, Third Officer; Yang Xifeng, Chief Officer; Yi Lie, Second Officer, the precautionary hold departure order that our legal team filed against the respondents was granted by Hon. Ulysses Delgado, presiding judge of RTC, Branch 44, Mamburao, Occidental Mindoro," said Commodore Armando Balilo, PCG spokesman.

"All the 20 crew members of MV Vienna were included in the hold departure order," he said.

"Per our legal.  PCG impleaded seven for the HDO ( hold departure order) but FV Irma,  filed an HDO for 20 crew members. The court consolidated the petition and granted HDO for the 20 crew members of the MV Vienna," he added.

Balilo said the PCG informed the families of the missing passengers and fishermen about this.

"Upon receipt of the news that the hold departure order against MV Vienna Wood and its concerned officers has been granted, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) immediately informed the affected families and Irma Fishing and Trading Inc. of such development," he said.

PCG Commandant Vice Admiral George Ursabia Jr. stressed the importance of granting of the hold departure order in resolving the maritime incident.

“With the granting of the hold departure order against MV Vienna Wood, rest assured that the PCG will continue to monitor the legal proceedings, while seaborne patrol operations are ongoing to locate the missing fishermen and passengers of FV Liberty 5," Ursabia said.

"We will not stop until this issue is resolved,” he added. Robina Asido/DMS