5 fishers rescued in Surigao

TAGUM CITY—Five fishermen were rescued on Sunday after five days of floating at sea since Supertyphoon “Yolanda” swept Surigao del Norte province, police on Monday said.

Holding on to whatever flotsam they could grab, the survivors were found by fellow fishermen off the coast of General Luna town on Siargao Island, according to Supt. Martin Gamba, spokesperson of the Caraga regional police.

But a 13-year-old boy named Jeremie, who was with them, died from hypothermia or extreme cold, said Senior Insp. Jonathan Meru, police chief of General Luna.

Gamba identified the survivors as Ludy Mataran, 54; Norman Humaylab, 30; Ronald Walo, 33; Charlie Maghinay, 33, and Junior Ramirez, 17.

The fishermen had set out to sea on a motorized banca from Barangay (village) Pilar in Socorro town, also in Surigao del Norte, on Nov. 5. They encountered big waves brought about by Yolanda, causing their boat to capsize, Meru told the Inquirer by mobile phone, quoting the survivors.

“They said they were floating until fishermen from General Luna saw them,” Meru said in Filipino. They survived by eating raw fish and “were extremely hungry when rescued,” he added.

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

General Luna is bracing for yet another storm, Tropical Depression “Zoraida,” as weathermen hoisted warning Signal No. 1 over the whole province and at least half a dozen other areas in Mindanao.  Frinston L. Lim, Inquirer Mindanao