Coast Guard intensifies search for 8 missing boat passengers

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has intensified its search for eight missing passengers of a boat that capsized near the Malaysian border on July 30.

PCG District South Western Mindanao Commander Captain Joseph M. Coyme said its members and the MRRV 4408 have been dispatched to Mindanao to strengthen law enforcement in the area.

A maritime casualty investigation team will be also formed to look into the cause of the incident after authorities learned that the capsized motorboat was “unregistered” and was used “to cross the border without authority.”

Coyme said they also started cooperating with PCG’s counterpart in Malaysia for the retrieval operations.

The incident happened near the border of Malaysia on July 30. Seven bodies have been recovered by local fishermen in Tawi-tawi since then. The decomposing bodies were buried immediately as part of the Muslim tradition. /ee

READ: Tawi-tawi fishermen recover 7 bodies from sunken boat