Rescuers find 3 missing boatmen in Quezon

INQUIRER FILES

LUCENA CITY — The three missing boatmen in Quezon province were rescued on Thursday, May 29, by authorities in Panukulan town.

The Philippine Coast Guard-District Southern Tagalog, in a report, said a fisherman spotted the missing motorbanca (MBCA) Mike Denmark-3 while it was secured at a fishing buoy, locally called “payaw,” off the waters near Gumatong Shoal, approximately 40 nautical miles north of Calutcot Island in Burdeos town.

The unidentified fisherman immediately contacted the local authorities. The report did not specify what time the missing boat was spotted.

READ: 3 fishers in Quezon missing after boat were swept due to Aghon

The owner of Mike Denmark-3 requested the authorities in Panukulan town to mobilize a team to conduct a rescue operation.

The PCG and the local disaster risk reduction management office organized a rescue and towing operation and headed to the site.

The group, assisted by the authorities from Burdeos town, successfully rescued the three crews aboard Mike Denmark-3.

“The rescued individuals were found to be in good condition after a physical assessment conducted by barangay health workers,” the PCG-DST said in the report.

The rescued boatmen were not identified in the report.

Mike Denmark-3 was safely towed to Calutcot by its sister ship, motorbanca Mike Denmark-2.

On May 27, Mike Denmark-3 with three crews on board was reported missing while anchored and secured at the sheltering area in Calutcot to evade the fury of Typhoon “Aghon” (international name: Ewiniar).

Aghon made landfall in Burdeos on May 26.

Investigators found out that during Aghon’s onslaught, the anchor line of Mike Denmark-3 snapped due to the strong winds and waves.

Despite efforts to start the engine for maneuvering, the motorized boat was left adrift.

Quezon was still under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 when the boat went missing.