— The captain of the motorbanca that tragically sank off Binangonan, Rizal last week had no license to steer the vessel, based on records from the Maritime Industry Authority .
"Investigations revealed that the boat captain involved in the tragedy did not possess a valid license," Marina said in a statement on Tuesday, as it vowed to take"strict actions against such safety violations." The boat captain is among the 41 survivors of the July 27 incident that claimed the lives of 27 passengers onboard the MB Aya Express, also known as Princess Aya.
Authorities earlier reported that 43 people survived, but the Philippine Coast Guard on Tuesday said this was corrected after double entries were found. Meanwhile, Marina added"there is no showing that the insurance provider has accepted or assessed any claim or has settled reasonable claims" in relation to the incident. However, Marina said officers of the Talim Island Passenger Motorboat and Patron Association are currently negotiating with the insurer to secure the necessary assistance.