PCG: No signs yet of missing cargo ship, 10 crewmen

CITY OF CALAPAN, ORIENTAL MINDORO, Philippines — With still no trace of the cargo ship MV Sta. Monica and its 10 crew members that went missing 15 days ago, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has intensified its search and rescue operations in the waters between the provinces of Palawan and Occidental Mindoro.

In an advisory on Monday, the PCG said it deployed its BN Islander aircraft for extensive aerial sweeps east of Taytay town in Palawan and from San Jose town to Paluan town in Occidental Mindoro.

But the PCG said these efforts have so far yielded no signs of the vessel.

READ: Cargo ship with 10 crewmen missing since Kristine hit

It said the PCG personnel continued to carry out patrols by sea and along the shorelines of Occidental Mindoro, while the PCG district in Palawan intensified its information-sharing efforts with local fisherfolk to aid in the search.

Before it went missing, the Palawan-based MV Sta. Monica was en route to Barangay Casian in Taytay to seek shelter from adverse weather at the height of Severe Tropical Storm Kristine (international name: Trami) on Oct. 22.

According to the PCG, the vessel was reported unreachable by Oct. 27 after communication with the captain and his crew members failed.

The PCG Palawan said it would closely coordinate with its counterpart in Southern Tagalog and other regional units to locate the ship.

Kin’s appeal

Families of the vessel’s crew members appealed to the public for any information that would provide clues to the whereabouts of their relatives.

Since last week, Marcela Cabaña, a relative of one of the crew members, has been reaching out to residents in the area where the vessel was last tracked, urging anyone with information to come forward.

On Oct. 27, fisherfolk from Mamburao town in Occidental Mindoro reported finding 10 liquefied petroleum gas tanks believed to belong to the missing vessel.

The next day, a resident of Barangay Marikit in Paluan town claimed to have spotted two bodies and several dead carabaos about 26 kilometers (14 nautical miles) from shore, also thought to be connected to the missing vessel.

On Oct. 29, another resident from Barangay Tayamaan in Mamburao reported finding a life jacket marked “MV STA MONICA-A1” and two unmarked life rings in the sea, further raising concerns about the fate of the crew members.

However, authorities were yet to validate these reports and sightings. —with a report from Geraldford Ticke