9 breakwater workers safe after motorboat capsizes off Eastern Samar

TACLOBAN CITY – Nine construction workers escaped unharmed after the motorboat they were riding capsized due to strong waves off the waters of Barangay 12 in Dolores, Eastern Samar, on Tuesday evening, August 4, prompting a search and rescue operation by the Philippine Coast Guard.

According to the Coast Guard Sub-Station (CGSS) Dolores, the incident occurred at around 6:50 p.m. while the workers were traveling aboard an unregistered private motorboat from Barangay 1 to Barangay Hilabaan, where they were assigned to a breakwater and seawall construction project.

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One of the passengers, 30-year-old Rodel Rico of Barangay 12, Dolores, managed to swim to shore and reported the incident to the CGSS Dolores office at about 7:15 p.m., requesting immediate rescue assistance for the other passengers.

A Coast Guard search-and-rescue team was immediately deployed and reached the shoreline within minutes before boarding a motorboat lent by a concerned resident to proceed to the incident site.

When the rescuers arrived, they found that another passing motorboat had already rescued two of the workers.

The Coast Guard continued searching for the remaining passengers for about 40 minutes but was forced to suspend the operation due to rough sea conditions and return to shore to secure a larger rescue boat.

Upon reaching the shoreline, rescuers were informed by bystanders that all nine passengers had already safely reached land after swimming ashore.

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The passengers were identified as boat captain Celmar Cabato, 26; Ivan Lagrimas, 27; Boy Boy Godino, 25; Reynaldo Doligon, 25; Rodel Rico, 30; Edward Apora, 36; Lance Sherwin Levieia, 18; Mark James Tegio, 30; and Nelson Anira, 20. Most are residents of Dolores.

An investigation by the Coast Guard showed that the workers left Barangay 1 at around 6:20 p.m. en route to Barangay Hilabaan when their motorboat encountered large waves, causing it to capsize.

The vessel, an unnamed and unregistered motorboat, yellow and sky-blue in color and with an estimated gross tonnage below 3, is owned by Jovito Cobato Opada, 51, of Barangay Caglao-an, Dolores.

At around 11:20 p.m., the capsized motorboat was successfully towed to Barangay 12, Dolores. The Coast Guard said no injuries or fatalities were reported in the incident.

The Philippine Coast Guard reminded boat operators and passengers to monitor weather and sea conditions and to ensure vessels are properly registered and equipped with the necessary safety equipment before sailing, particularly during periods of rough seas./coa