Sailor falls off ship to save pet dove

MANILA, Philippines—A 20-year-old crew member of a Philippine-registered cargo ship was reported missing after he fell overboard on Monday while trying to catch a fellow sailor’s pet dove that had escaped from its cage while the ship was sailing off the Guimaras coast, according to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).

Ronel Balagot, crew member of the MV RKK-2, is now the subject of a search-and-rescue operation, PCG spokesman Lieutenant Commodore Armand Balilo said Thursday, citing a report of the PCG-Iloilo station.

“The victim jumped overboard to save the bird. But due to the strong current in the area, he drifted southeast towards Buenavista town. One of Balagot’s fellow crew managed to throw a life ring with a lifeline as he tried to rescue him, but the sailor was already out of sight,” Balilo said.

Balagot is a native of Barangay (village) Licuan, Cagayan de Oro City.

According to Balilo, PCG-Iloilo personnel and members of the Coast Guard’s Special Operation Group in that province immediately conducted a search-and-rescue operation.

Can’t be found

“Using rubber boats, they scoured the area but the operation yielded negative results,” Balilo said.

MV RKK-2 is currently docked at the Iloilo City port.

Meanwhile, personnel of the PCG station in El Nido have rescued three passengers of a motor boat that capsized on Saturday off Sitio (subvillage) Lamuro, Barangay (village) Pasadena in the northern Palawan town.

In a report to the PCG headquarters in Manila, the Coast Guard station said the boat was on its way to Sitio Diapala, also in El Nido, when it capsized.

“Upon learning about the incident, PCG-El Nido personnel immediately proceeded to the area and conducted a rescue operation. They towed the said motor banca to the shoreline of nearby Barangay Buena Suerte with all the boat’s passengers in good physical condition,” the report added.

In another report, Remond Erodias, a 22-year-old fisherman, has been rescued by a passing fishing boat one day after he was reported missing off the coast of Caluya, Antique.

Erodias reportedly failed to return home after venturing out to sea on Sunday, his mother Sarita had told the Coast Guard station in Antique.

“Personnel of the PCG detachment in Caluya town immediately disseminated the information to all coastal barangays, PCG auxilliary and other volunteer groups to be on the lookout for Erodias and to render assistance if sighted.