Family rescued at sea; passengers stranded

SEVEN persons were rescued when a pumpboat’s left outrigger was broken by strong waves off Maribojoc Bay in Bohol, while thousands of plane and boat passengers were stranded due to rainy weather caused by the entry of Typhoon “Pedring.”

Captain Anelito Gabisan, acting commander of the Cebu Coast Guard station, said two fishermen also remain missing since last Monday noon.

The pumpboat passengers were a family who ran a manufacturing business using nipa leaves.

Gabisan said their motor boat Daisy Rose came from Santander town, Cebu, after delivering nipa leaves and lost its left outrigger after being hit by strong waves in Maribojoc Bay while en route to Tagbilaran City, Bohol.

One of the seven crew members called up a relative named Margie Niville Mansada, who also called up the Coast Guard station in Tagbilaran City at 7:45 p.m.

The passengers were Bienvenido Matildo, 45; Sheryl Matildo, 45; Joel Lagang, 46; Claro Colehiyo, 26; Roy Sabadlad, 41; Naro Mati; 54; and Arnel Matildo, 28—all from Loboc, Bohol.

Gabisan said rescue teams were searching for two fishermen who failed to go home while fishing off Talibon waters in Bohol since 11 a.m. last Monday.

In Cebu, thousands of passengers were stranded in ports and at the Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA) due to the rainy weather.

Gabisan said 38 passenger vessels and one motor banca that were scheduled to transport 855 passengers were grounded since Monday evening due to rough seas.

In Cebu ports, Gabisan said, all vessels for Bohol including those for Tubigon and Tagbilaran City and vice versa were also grounded.

He said even the Oceanjet and SuperCat fastcrafts also suspended their trips since Monday afternoon.

Gabisan said sea travel for Bantayan Island from mainland Cebu was also affected.

At the Mactan Cebu International Airport, Mary Ann Dimabayao, airport public affairs manager, said Zest Air cancelled its flights to and from Manila until further notice.

Flights for Cebu Pacific Air and Air Philippines experienced hour-long delays. Correspondent Jhunnex Napallacan