ZAMBOANGA — The members of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Southwestern Mindanao District is now intensifying its efforts to search for the remaining eight, out of the 16 passengers of a motorized vessel that capsized off the Philippine-Malaysia border last July 30.
In a press release issued Wednesday, Lt. Commander Noriel Ramos, Coast Guard Zamboanga Station chief, said a motorized temper type boat carrying around 16 passengers sunk off the waters of Siamil, Sabah near the Philippine-Malaysian border as recounted by Ibrahim Hassan Mandul, the lone survivor.
Mandul was earlier rescued by patrolling coast guard personnel off the seas of Tawi-Tawi.
Ramos said they recently recovered at the vicinity of Sitangkai Reefs seven decomposing bodies, which were immediately buried in Sitangkai, Tawi-Tawi, according to Muslim tradition.
As of press time, Ramos confirmed that eight passengers of the ill-fated motor boat remained missing.
Aside from Mandul, Ramos identified the passengers of the motorized boat as Muin Tahil (boat operator), Hassan Mandul, Adzral Hussin, Fairul Faizal, Aljanib Tahil, Adzfar Tahil, Aldison Tahil, Rasiya Ami, Jenny Ibrahim, Liya Hussin, Amira Faizal, Nurhuda Albain,Manhuda Albain, Matida Darmasiyun, and Ru-Indah Darmasiyun.
Ramos said Coast Guard officials in Tawi-Tawi have already made the necessary coordination with Malaysian authorities for the search and retrieval of the eight missing passengers.
Commander Captain Joseph Coyme of the PCG District Southwestern Mindanao immediately dispatched MRRV 4408 to augment the ongoing search and retrieval efforts of various law enforcement units in the area.
Coyme also coordinated with Bakamla, the Malaysian counterpart of PCG. Also, PCG will form a maritime casualty investigation team to determine the cause of the sinking of the motorized boat.
PCG has directed the Bongao station commander to submit a Maritime Casualty Investigation Report to prevent the recurrence of the incident. It was learned that the said motorized boat is unregistered and it is being used to illegally cross the border. (PCG-Zamboanga PR/PNA)
