5 fishermen rescued from sea off Surigao del Norte

TAGUM CITY, Davao del Norte, Philippines – Five fishermen were rescued after five days of being lost at sea amid the onslaught of “supertyphoon Yolanda” (international name Haiyan) in Surigao del Norte, police on Monday said.

Holding on to whatever flotsam they could grab, the survivors were found Sunday by fellow fishermen off the coast off General Luna town, Superintendent Martin Gamba, Caraga regional police spokesperson, said.

But one of their companions, a 13-year old boy, died due to hypothermia or extreme cold, said Senior Inspector Jonathan Meru, police chief General Luna town in Siargao Island.

Gamba said the six – Ludy Mataran, 54; Norman Humaylab, 30; Ronald Walo, 33; Charlie Maghinay, 33; Junior Ramirez, 17, and his 13-year old relative Jeremie —had set out to sea from Pilar village, Socorro town, also in Surigao del Norte on November 5, on a motorized banca.

“While at sea, they encounter big waves due to “supertyphoon Yolanda,” causing their boat to capsize,” Meru, quoting survivors, told the Philippine Daily Inquirer by mobile phone.

“Palutang-lutang daw sila, hanggang nakita ng mga fishermen from General Luna,” said Meru, adding the five survivors subsisted on eating raw fish they had caught, “Gutom na gutom sila nang ma-rescue.”

The fishermen left shore just days before ‘Yolanda’ entered the eastern part of Mindanao on November 7, and may have ridden out the storm as it passed over Surigao and barreled through Samar and Leyte provinces.

The five fishermen were immediately brought to a local hospital in Dapa town, also in Surigao del Norte, for a medical examination.

Meru said power and telecommunication signal have already been restored in General Luna, but the town has started bracing for another storm as Signal number 1 has been hoisted over the whole province of Surigao del Norte and at least half a dozen areas in Mindanao due to tropical depression Zoraida.