10 passengers rescued as motor banca capsizes in rough seas off Masbate

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LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines–Ten persons were rescued from a passenger motor banca that capsized off the coastal village of Mahayahay in Cawayan town, Masbate province, at 1 p.m. Thursday, police said.

Police officer Zandro Cabintoy, information officer of Masbate police, said that M/B Necel was en route to Barangay (village) Naro of the same town when big waves whipped the boat.

The incident was immediately reported to the Philippine Coast Guard, which successfully rescued the four crew members and six passengers.

The survivors were identified as Wilson Roado, 58, the boat operator and skipper, and his relatives Lolita Roado, 49, and Noel Roado, 16, all of Barangay Naro; Michael Tarucan, 23, a boat crew, of Barangay Talisay; and passengers Relina Sevilla, 42, Angelica Castro, 16, Algen Castro, 15, Nina Buhia, 64, Catherine Inso, 13, and Cory Buhia, 36, all residents of Barangay Punta Batsan.

The motor boat was also loaded with a box of grocery items, 22 sacks of rice, 5 sacks of flour, 7 sacks of animal feed and a sack of sugar, which were all lost in the incident. Their total value was estimated at P50,000.

Cabitoy said the rescued passengers were all declared  in “good health” after they were examined by Dr. Virginia Nonay of the rural health office of Cawayan. They were later taken to the Department of Social Welfare and Development office at the poblacion area where they were given further assistance.

Since last week, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration has issued gale warning for the whole Bicol region and alerted small vessels of the danger of sea travel due to Tropical Storm Egay and Typhoon Falcon.