No crew found on death ships: Two foreign barges run aground in Pangasinan

AGOO, Pangasinan -- Two abandoned barges believed to be from Indonesia were found here Tuesday morning.

The two barges marked "Soekawati 2708, Tanjung Priok" and "Soekawati 2707, Tanjung Priok" were believed swept to shore by strong storm surges spawned by typhoon "Gener."

The crewmen of the two barges were nowhere to be found.

Both barges were 80 meters in length and 15 meters in width and black in color.

The local police informed the Philippine Coast Guard about the two barges.

At the height of the typhoon on night of July 29, a Korean -registered cargo vessel with 18 crewmen onboard ran aground 800 yards west of Canas Point in Mariveles, Bataan.

The Philippine Coast Guard said that the vessel marked Ocean Galaxy was transiting the vicinity waters of Mariveles when it encountered engine trouble and decided to drop anchor.

The ship, coming from China and enroute to Manila, was dragged and subsequently ran aground.