‘Filipino fishermen got nearly P40-M settlement in 2022 collision’

The 13 rescued crew members of Filipino fishing vessel FB JOT-18, which collided with cargo vessel MV Happy Hiro on May 28. Courtesy of PCG.

MANILA, Philippines — Filipino fishermen who were victims of a 2022 collision with a Marshall Islands-registered vessel received almost P40 million in settlement, a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) official said on Monday.

Four officials of MV Happy Hiro were charged with reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicide, multiple injuries, and damage to property after the vessel collided with Filipino fishing vessel FB JOT-18 off Maracanao Island in Palawan’s Agutaya town in June 2022.

“With this strong case we have established, the owner has decided to propose an out of court settlement … I think it’s almost P40 million,” said Vice Admiral Joseph Coyme, Commander of PCG’s Maritime Safety Services Command, during a press conference here at Rivera Wharf in Subic Bay Freeport Zone in Olongapo City.

Coyme presented FB Dearyn, the fishing boat involved in an allision last October 2 between Pacific Anna, a crude oil tanker registered under the Marshall Islands, which resulted in the death of three fishermen

“Incidentally, it is also a Marshall Island-registry vessel which collided with a fishing boat,” Coyme said of MV Happy Hiro.

“One good thing, we had the physical custody of MV Happy Hiro because it calls the port of Iloilo,” he continued.

“We exercised our control as one of the port state control of the country wherein we really saw solid evidence that the vessel really somehow encountered a major collision of an object.”

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