4 dead, 7 rescued, 9 missing in Surigao del Norte sea mishap at height of Bising

BUTUAN CITY—Coast Guard men in Surigao del Norte continued to search for nine missing crew members of a landing craft vessel which nearly capsized in waters off Surigao del Norte amid strong winds brought by Typhoon Bising on Sunday (April 18).

Elaine R. Pangilinan, Surigao del Norte Coast Guard station commander, said the boat, loaded with mineral ore from Tubay town, Agusan del Norte province, was moored near the coast but the chain of its anchor broke amid the heavy battering of strong winds and big waves.

The vessel tilted as water flowed in, prompting the crew to abandon ship, Pangilinan said.

“We received several calls for help on Monday morning claiming they were the crew of the boat but they could not give their exact location,” Pangilinan said.

Pangilinan said search and rescue operations on Monday (April 19) were hindered by big waves and strong winds.

Seven of the crew members were found on the shores of Malimono and San Francisco towns of Surigao del Norte province early on Tuesday (April 20). They were identified as Roger Polo, Junmar Galeos, Felipe Quebuen, Arjie Bacarra, Joejie A. Villanueva, Noli Labucay and John Renzo Guanzon.

Four crewmen drowned and their bodies found also on Tuesday. Two of them were identified as Norman Galon and Mark Evan Cuesta.

Pangilinan said residents of the village of Cantapoy in Malimono town reported to the Coast Guard on Monday about a vessel that ran aground on the village’s coast. The vessel no longer had a crew when it crashed into the shore.

It was the same involved in a mishap on Sunday. It was identified as MV Cebu Great Ocean and had a crew of 20.

According to Pangilinan, the vessel was also filled with 2,000 liters of diesel.

TSB