By Christine Fabro
Three Filipino fishermen died after a still-unidentified foreign commercial vessel rammed their fishing boat transiting Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal), the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported Wednesday, Oct. 4.
In its initial report, one of the survivors shared that the incident occurred around 4:20 a.m. Monday, Oct. 2, when their mother boat was moored 85 nautical miles northwest of Bajo de Masinloc.
The mother boat submerged, resulting in the death of the boat captain and two crew members.
Eleven crew members who survived the maritime incident utilized their eight service boats to leave the vicinity waters and transport the deceased victims to Barangay Cato in Infanta, Pangasinan.
“They arrived around 10 a.m. yesterday, 03 October 2023, and reported the incident to the nearest Coast Guard sub-station for necessary assistance,” the PCG said.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Wednesday said the incident is still under investigation.
We are deeply saddened by the deaths of the three fishermen, including the captain of the fishing vessel. The incident is still under investigation to ascertain the details and circumstances surrounding the collision between the fishing boat and a still unidentified commercial… pic.twitter.com/VKe1eUkiIy
— Bongbong Marcos (@bongbongmarcos) October 4, 2023
“Currently, the Philippine Coast Guard is backtracking and checking all monitored vessels in the area as part of its ongoing investigation,” President Marcos Jr. said in a social media post.
“Let us allow the PCG to do its job and investigate, and let us refrain from engaging in speculation in the meantime,” he noted.
The President then assured that the government will provide assistance to the victims and their families.
UPDATE: The PCG on Wednesday identified that Pacific Anna, a crude oil tanker registered under the flag of the Marshall Islands, as the possible vessel that rammed Filipino fishing boat (FFB) Dearyn.
“The PCG will reach out to the flag of the vessel and next port to be visited by the said vessel to be boarded by the Port State Control Officers,” PCG said in a separate update. With report from Bea Bernardo