1 dead, 21 rescued from sinking Singaporean ship off Ilocos Sur

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan– A crew member of a sinking Singaporean cargo ship died, while 21 others were rescued on Friday in the West Philippine Sea off the coast of Candon City in Ilocos Sur province, a Philippine Coast Guard official said on Saturday.

Petty Officer 1 Sion Pulmimo, commander of the PCG substation in Candon City, said crew members of nearby tug boat rescued the ship’s all-Filipino crew as the ship began to list to its portside at about 4 p.m. Friday.

The dead crew member had not been identified and the cause of death was not clear yet, Pulmino said in a telephone interview.

The cargo ship, MV Alam Manis, was on its way to China from Surigao City on Friday when its crew members sensed something was wrong as they passed by the waters off Ilocos Norte province.

“They attempted to go back and sailed toward San Fernando City. But the waves were too strong that’s why they called a tug boat to rescue them,” said Pulmino.

He said the distressed ship is now docked about one nautical mile from the coast of Sta. Lucia town in Ilocos.