SAVED | The Japanese were rescued by Philippine Coast Guard personnel after their fishing boat tilted in the waters near Calapan City. (Photo courtesy of the Philippine Coast Guard)
MANILA, Philippines — Five Japanese fishermen were rescued by personnel of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) after their fishing vessel tilted in the middle of the sea in Oriental Mindoro province.
In a report, the PCG said the five Japanese crew members were on board MV Catriona (sailing under Mongolian flag) when it listed 40 degrees (tilted to one side after taking in water) in the waters off Barangay Navotas in Calapan City at around 6:30 a.m. on Saturday.
The PCG deployed BRP Habagat and rescued all five Japanese passengers: Itsuo Tamura, 86; Hiromu Nishida, 83; Hamagato Tsukasa, 80; Osamu Kawakami, 74; and Hata Isamu, 74.
They arrived at the Calapan port at 9:10 a.m., with the PCG search and rescue team confirming that all five were in “good physical condition.”
The Japanese crew members told the PCG they departed from Japan and were en route to Davao when MV Catriona had an accident, causing the ship to tilt.