101 fishermen rescued off Pangasinan waters

PCG helps search for 5 tourists on missing yacht 

BOLINAO, Pangasinan—–The Philippine Coast Guard reported that as of 7:30pm of Monday a total of 101 fishermen were rescued,14 others are missing,14 fishermen were able to return home and 2 reported casualty.

Lt.Alexander Corpuz, PCG station commander based in Sual, Pangasinan,said, the monitoring of other fishermen continue and expected to have changes in numbers of fishermen.

Fishermen reported to have come from Infanta, Dasol,Agno and Bolinao,Pangasinan.

Pangasinan Provincial Police Office headed Senior Supt. Rolie Saltatsaid, the PNP is still assisting the coast guard on missing fishermen.

This, as the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) is still searching for four foreigners and a Filipino on a yacht that went missing in the waters off Northern Luzon during a storm last week even as seven fishermen were rescued near West Philippine Sea.

This, as PCG spokesperson Commander Armand Balilo said teams were dispatched to search for M/Y Europa, whose passengers include Britons Robin Wyatt and Brian Turner, Canadian  Harry Taylor, American Alan Lundy and Rudulph Balloloz.

“Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary airplane is being used to conduct an aerial search for the missing yacht M/Y Europa. Their mission is to search over Manila to Laoag in Ilocos Norte,” Balilo said.

As this developed, the PCG official said a body was spotted floating at around 1 p.m. Monday near the area where the yacht was last detected.

Balilo could not confirm whether the person, who appeared to be wearing an orange life vest, was dead or merely unconscious, or if he was one of the occupants of the yacht.

He said MCS (monitoring, control and surveillance) vessels were also dispatched to look for the missing yacht, reportedly owned by Wyatt.

The yacht was described to have a dark blue hull with two sails and two small life rafts.

The maritime agency issued a notice to mariners (Notam) informing all vessels plying in the area to be on the lookout for M/Y Europa.

Based on information received by the PCG, the yacht activated its emergency position indicating radiobeacon that transmitted signals of its location.

“The yacht’s last known location was 207 nautical miles west of Laoag,” Balilo said.

Initial information received by the PCG headquarters showed the yacht departed from Clear Water Bay in Hong Kong for Vigan, Ilocos Sur before noon of Oct. 2.

Balilo said they are eyeing the possibility the boat was damaged during the storm.

Meanwhile, after three days of drifting, seven fishermen who went missing at the height of Tropical Storm Kabayan have been rescued by a passing cargo vessel near the West Philippine Sea area, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported Monday.

PCG spokesman Armand Balilo said crewmembers of container ship NYK Joanna spotted the fishermen, who were waving their hands to catch their attention. 

They were rescued at around 6:45 p.m. on Saturday, 115 nautical miles off Salomague Island in Ilocos Sur.

Balilo said they would contact the NYK Joanna’s company for the turnover of the fishermen.

The PCG received reports that two other fishermen, who were reported missing since Sept. 30, were rescued by cargo vessel MV Anagel Odyssey off Bolinao, Pangasinan on Saturday.

Meanwhile, six fishermen from Masinloc town in Zambales who sailed for Bolinao were reported missing on Saturday.

The Masinloc police station said the fishermen left aboard three light boats – San Pedro de Balogo 1, 2 and 5.