Search resumes for missing fishermen; 13 rescued

NAGA CITY, Philippines – The Philippine Coast Guard resumed on Thursday a search for 19 persons missing since a fishing boat capsized Monday in the Sibuyan Sea in rough waters churned up by the approaching Tropical Storm Juaning, officials said.

Meanwhile, 13 crew members of the F/B Hope Christy told the authorities they clung to pieces of the boat and tossed in heavy seas for about two days before they were rescued Wednesday by personnel of the Philippine National Police in the municipality of Balud in Masbate, the westernmost town in Bicol region, police said Thursday.

Inspector Josefino Titong, Balud police chief, said they immediately dispatched a search-and-rescue team upon receiving reports from fishermen in the area of men drifting and fighting for their lives in the sea just off the town.

Titong said that during the search operation, they were able to initially rescue five persons found clinging to whatever was left of the fishing vessel.

The survivors were identified as Dante Daños, 27; Andrew Villacilco, 21; Rodolfo Alovera, 22; Joseph Calipapa, 38; and Michael Apruebo, 35.

“They were clinging to bamboo poles tied [together] with ropes,” said Titong.

Villacilco, Alovera, Calipapa, and Apruebo lost consciousness upon rescue because of exhaustion, said Titong.

All were crew members of F/B Hope Christy, which capsized after being battered by strong waves and high winds in the Sibuyan Sea starting at about 2 a.m. on Monday (July 25) while Tropical Storm Juaning (international codename: Nok-ten) was just a depression brewing off the coast of Samar.

Daños told the police that their fishing boat, which had 32 crew members, left Barangay Libas in Roxas City at about 4 p.m. on Sunday.

Most of them were asleep when the winds and waves picked up and tossed their vessel, said Titong, quoting Daños.

All five, who were still suffering from trauma, were brought to Balud Municipal Hospital for treatment.

Further search-and-rescue operation of the town police on Wednesday led to the rescue of eight other survivors about six kilometers from the shore, Titong said.

They were identified as Juvy Balete, 23; Jonex Atagami, 32; Junjun Flora, 20; Anby Layon, 32; Vicente dela Cruz, 22; Noel Romano, 35; and Rex Bocala, 24; and Nestor dela Cruz, the boat captain. All were residents of Barangay Libas.

They were also taken to the Balud Municipal Hospital.

In the municipality of Aroroy, which also faces the Sibuyan Sea, the town police were on the lookout for possible survivors who could have washed ashore, said Insp. Christian Jesus Huelva, Aroroy police chief.

On Thursday, search and rescue team from the Philippine Coast Guard in Bicol continued scouring the Sibuyan Sea off Masbate in search of the 19 crew members fishing boat. The search had been suspended Wednesday night because of poor visibility.