Town police chief among reported missing at sea
Residents help each other out from their inundated neighborhoods after rains spawned by a tropical storm, locally known as Seniang, caused flooding in Misamis Oriental on the southern Philippine island of Mindanao on December 29, 2014. Three people were killed, one was missing and thousands fled their homes as the tropical storm battered the southern Philippines with strong winds and heavy rain on December 29, officials said. AFP/ERWIN MASCARINAS
MANILA, Philippines–A pump boat carrying six persons, including a ranking local police official, was reported missing in the waters off Southern Leyte after it failed to return to Limawasa Island on Monday afternoon.
In a Philippine Coast Guard report, Danny Atienza, of the PCG Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, said the boat left Barangay (village) San Roque, Macrohon, Southern Leyte, at 2 p.m. Monday for its one-hour trip back to the island.
The report said the boat carried four altar boys, a boat operator and Limasawa police chief Richard Castañares.
Another report, however, said that seven people were in the boat. These were identified as Eusebio Petanio, 46, operator; Castañeres, 46; Lourdes Rogano, 45; Claresa Malunas, 14; Charlotte Malunas, 15; Joanah Juanico, 14; and Edna Mae Cabanero 15 – all residents of Limasawa.
Apart from Petanio, the six others were reportedly church workers who attended a religious function in Barangay San Isidro, Macrohon.
Limasawa Mayor Melchor Petracorta said one of the boat passengers managed to call her husband at about 4 p.m. and informed him that they were lost at sea. Heavy rain and big waves spawned by tropical storm “Seniang” were reportedly hampering visibility.
“We already have several pumpboats on standby for search and rescue at break of dawn on Tuesday,” Petracorta said.
He added they already asked the Southern Leyte provincial government if the province could borrow a helicopter to hasten the search and rescue.
A helicopter has been sent by the authorities as they continue search and rescue operation on Tuesday.
Signal no. 1 was raised in Southern Leyte and nearby provinces as Seniang dumped heavy rain and strong winds in some parts of Visayas and Mindanao.
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