Hong Kong yacht bound for Vigan City missing

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan—All Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) stations in the western coastline of Luzon have been alerted about a yacht from Hong Kong that went missing while on its way to Ilocos Sur this week.

PO2 Rolly de Guzman of the PCG station in Narvacan, Ilocos Sur province, said rescuers were scouring the West Philippine Sea for the vessel Europa and its five passengers—two Britons, a Canadian, an American and a Filipino.

PCG reports said the yacht might have capsized when Tropical Storm “Kabayan” whipped up huge waves as it left through the country’s western coastline on Oct. 2.

“We have been conducting search and rescue operations and we have informed all vessels passing through the international navigational lane to be on the lookout for the yacht,” De Guzman told the Inquirer by telephone on Wednesday. “So far, we have no sighting of the yacht,” he said.

Missing fishermen

The Europa left Hong Kong on Oct. 2 at 11 a.m. It was headed for Vigan City and was supposed to sail along the coastline, starting from Subic town in Zambales, to avoid Kabayan, which had just exited then from Pangasinan. But it did not arrive as expected in Vigan at 3 p.m. on Oct. 4.

The search for the yacht came as rescuers looked for 13 fishermen from Pangasinan who remained missing in the West Philippine Sea.

A report from the Pangasinan Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) identified the 13 fishermen as Brandon Nebre, Orly Correa, Rex Cabanilla, Jimmy Advincula and Ricky Cabotaje of Agno town on board FB Triple N; Gerry Barrientos, Ruel Bagor, Rosendo Cas, Rolly Maratas, Nelson Bagor, Edmar Espino and Jose Rolly Bagor of Bolinao town on board FB Double J; and Conseso Peñaranda of Dasol town on board FB Flores.

At least 24 fishermen were rescued on Sunday and Monday.

It was not clear whether six fishermen, whose names were initially reported as among missing on Wednesday, had returned to their villages on their own or had been rescued.

On Wednesday, the Inquirer tried to reach Lt. Senior Grade Alexander Corpuz, PCG station commander, for updates on the search, but he did not take calls.

The missing fishermen were part of the more than 200 fishermen on board 37 fishing boats from the coastal towns of Infanta, Dasol, Bolinao and Agno towns in Pangasinan who went fishing in municipal waters and sections of the West Philippine Sea on Sept. 29.

Strong winds and huge waves generated by the storm on Oct. 2 destroyed their boats, disaster response officials said.