Radio contact established with missing fishing boat

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LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines—Search-and-rescue operations were launched Saturday for a fishing boat with 30 crewmen aboard and for three other fishermen reported missing in waters off the towns of Baras and Pandan in Catanduanes, the Office of Civil Defense  in Bicol reported.

Bernardo Alejandro, OCD-Bicol head, said the Catanduanes Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council  reported that the fishing boat “Cris Mar” was reported missing on Friday but it was able to establish radio contact with the boat Saturday morning.

Bernardo said Cris Mar’s radio operator told council officials that the  boat suffered engine trouble while fishing off the eastern coast of Catanduanes last Tuesday.

The PDRRMC said the boat also ran out of fuel but it was given fuel by people on in small motorized boats who found the fishing boat adrifiting in rough seas. It said the boat was monitored by the Coast Guard about 20 miles away from Panay Island.

Three other fishermen from Barangay Napo in the municipality of Pandan town were also reported missing since they sailed on board the motorized banca “St. Philip” at around 6 a.m. on Wednesday.

The Catanduanes disaster council has requested  for air and sea search for the three fishermen identified as Nelson Panti Jr., 21; Romarico Bermejo, 30; and Carlito de Quiroz, Alejandro said.

In Camarines Sur, the local disaster council reported that a six-hour power interruption was experienced in the province from midnight Friday until 6:30 a.m. Saturday when power was restored.

The power failure could not be attributed to inclement weather since no fallen electric post or similar problem was reported, Alejandro said.

Meanwhile, the Coast Guard in Bicol said that  920 passengers, 23 trucks, 10 cars and 6 buses were stranded in the ports of Tabaco in Albay; Virac and San Andres in Catanduanes; and in four ports in Camarines Sur as of noon Saturday.

The Coast Guard had issued a “no sailing” advisory on Friday in light of the passage of Tropical Storm Ambo and said the directive was still in effect on Saturday.

The weather bureau issued a bulletin Saturday lifting storm signals in the Bicol.