PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan — A joint team of PNP Maritime operatives and Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) personnel here rescued Sunday evening the nine crewmen of a capsized fishing boat off Tadjo Island, Honda Bay in Barangay Sta. Lourdes.
Supt. Greg Togonon, chief of the 2nd Special Operations Unit-Maritime Group (SOU-MG), said Monday they rescued the crewmen of motorized banca “Zander” around 9 nautical miles from the shoreline of Tadjo Island.
He said boat skipper Roberto Esparraguerra of Barangay New Buncag told them that the boat capsized due to the rough sea condition and strong winds.
“Medyo mataas kasi ang alon at medyo malakas din ang hangin sa dagat. Nakita sila after more than an hour’s search ng mga tropa natin. Nakakapit na lang sila sa bangka ng mga two hours na daw (The waves are high and the wind is strong in the area of the sea. They were spotted after an hour’s search by our operatives. They were hanging onto their boats for nearly two hours before we found them),” he said.
Esparraguerra claimed they were on their way home when their fishing boat overturned.
The 2nd SOU-MG and PCG in Honda Bay rescued the fishermen who were all residents of New Buncag. (Celeste Anna Formoso/PNA)
