Boat capsizes in waters off Boracay Island, 1 Chinese dead, 20 rescued

ILOILO CITY –– A Chinese national died and 20 others were rescued after a motorboat they were on capsized in the waters off Boracay Island on Tuesday morning.

Three crew members of the motorboat Jovelyn 1 also survived the accident at Diniwid Beach in Barangay Balabag, according to a report of the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (MDRRMO) of Malay town in Aklan.

The motorboat capsized at the northern end of the island after it was hit by strong winds and big waves at 11:08 a.m., the report said.

Speedboats near the area and personnel of the Philippine Coast Guard rescued the passengers who held on to the boat.

The MDRRMO identified the lone fatality as Hong Fang Kwai, 45, who was pronounced dead on arrival by physicians at the Ciriaco S. Tirol Memorial Hospital.

Three passengers were brought to a hospital in the capital town of Kalibo for further treatment, while 17 others returned to their hotels.

Jemir Fernand, the boat captain, was quoted in the report as saying that the water was calm when they left Boat Station 3 at the southern end of the island, but encountered rough waters at Diniwid Beach./lzb