PASSENGERS of motorboat Tawash climbed on top of the capsized boat after it was hit by strong winds and huge waves. MARK VILLARUZ/CONTRIBUTOR
ILOILO CITY—Seven persons died and two others remained missing after a motorboat capsized in the waters between Iloilo and Guimaras on Sunday afternoon, the Philippine Coast Guard reported.
The Coast Guard is investigating the incident including compliance with safety measures especially the compulsory wearing by passengers and crew members of life jackets.
Commodore Leopoldo Laroya, Coast Guard Western Visayas commander, said initial investigation showed that the motorboat Tawash was on its way to Jordan pier in Guimaras from Iloilo City when it was repeatedly hit by a squall, locally known as “pugada” or the sudden and strong gust of wind,
which lifted and forced the outrigger boat to capsize.
The squall or violent gust of wind was not believed to be connected to Typhoon “Lando” (international name: Koppu), which struck Luzon starting on Sunday.
Thirty-two other passengers and crew members were rescued by Coast Guard personnel and passing boats about 1.6 kilometers from the port of Iloilo.
Lt. Junior Grade Edison Diaz, commander of the Coast Guard Iloilo station, identified the fatalities as Cora Ganila; Mark Mata, 9; Luke Shile Mata, 6;
Christine Daryle Vasquez, and Mary Ann Gallego.
Two of the boat’s five crew members identified as Larry Abilla, 59, and Ruben Gania, 54, also died.
Gallego died about 2 a.m. on Monday at St. Paul’s Hospital Iloilo while the other fatalities were pronounced dead on arrival in various hospitals,
according to Diaz.
Search and rescue teams were still looking for passengers CJ Gamotea and Shine Mata, 30, mother of siblings Mark and Luke Shile.
Passengers identified as Cherry Silverio and Chris John Cepada remained confined at the hospital as of Monday morning. Several survivors stayed overnight at the Coast Guard station in Iloilo.
Diaz said the boat left Iloilo at 4:13 p.m. and was a mile away when it was hit by a squall. Boat captain Donald Galotera tried to maneuver the boat as it was hit by strong winds and huge waves but a gust of wind suddenly lifted and capsized the boat at 4:23 p.m.
Several of the passengers were not listed on the manifest, which resulted to varying initial accounts of the number of passengers, those rescued and missing.
Diaz said 41 persons, including 36 passengers and five crew members, were aboard the boat, which could load 53 passengers.
No typhoon signal was raised over Iloilo and Guimaras but the areas were covered by a gale warning.
Laroya said the motorboats plying between Iloilo and Guimaras were allowed to travel on Sunday under a Coast Guard guideline allowing travel in areas with short distance travel and in plain sight like the Iloilo Strait.
But the number of passengers was limited to 75 percent of its maximum capacity and travel was limited from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The Coast Guard investigation would also focus on why some of the passengers were not wearing life jackets.
Laroya said passengers are required to wear life jackets before the boats leave the port but these could have been removed during transit.
“Some passengers prefer not to wear them especially during warm weather,” he told the Inquirer.
The report said due to strong current and big waves, rescuers failed to retrieve the boat. With a report from AP