Search For 14 Filipinos Lost At Sea Following Collision With Hong Kong Continues
SEARCH FOR MISSING FILIPINOS – It’s been three days, sadly, the 14 missing Filipino fishermen have yet to be found.
Recently, a cargo vessel hoisting Hong Kong’s Flag collided with a local fishing boat, capsizing the fisherman’s vessel. The incident happened in the southwest waters of Manila off the coast of Mindoro Occidental.
READ: 14 Filipinos Missing At Sea After Chinese Vessel Rams Their Boat
However, after hitting the fisherman’s vessel, Liberty 5, the captain of cargo ship Vienna Wood called for help “a few hours later”. Unfortunately, when the Philippine Coast Guard arrived on the scene, only tubs of fish were found in the area.
According to an article from ABS-CBN, PCG-Southern Tagalog commander Commodore Leovigildo Panopio said:
Patuloy po kaming maghahanap hanggang wala nakikitang may nakalutang po, ang iniisip po namin buhay lahat po at nakarating sa isla po sana.
(We will continue our search until we find anybody floating. We think that everyone lived and they hopefully arrived on an island).
Later this Tuesday, the PCG would inspect the 190-meter long Cargo Vessel from Hong Kong. The vessel was brought to Batangas province so authorities could investigate what caused the collision.
The fishermen’s vessel, Libery 5, was on its way back to Navotas fish port. Meanwhile, the Vienna Wood was heading toward Australia from Subic, Zambales.
Previously, there have been several cases of maritime incidents, some caused by territorial disputes.
Last year, a Chinese fishing vessel rammed into a Filipino boat close to Reed Bank, an area withing the West Philippine Sea that is under Manila’s territory. However, Beijing claimed that area.
Due to the crash, 22 fishermen were left floating at sea. Luckily, Vietnamese fishermen rescued the Filipinos while President Duterte called the incident an “accident”.
READ ALSO: Chinese Ship Sinks Filipino Boat In West PH Sea, Abandons 22 Fishermen