No sign of 11 missing at sea off La Union

By Erwin Beleo

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union — Police here said Thursday there was still no sign of 11 crew members of “M/V Fortune Life,” who have been missing at sea since the Panamian-flagged cargo vessel sank Nov. 27 in Stewart Bank Shoal, 45 nautical miles northwest of this province.

According to a report by the office of Cdr. Armando Balilo of the Coast Guard Action Center (CGAC), the ship had 19 crew members on board, 18 of them Chinese national and a Vietnamese.

The city police said they are coordinating search and rescue efforts launched by the Philippine Coast Guard, the Philippine Navy, and the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council.

The PCG and the Navy yesterday are still searching as of press time the missing crew members of the ship.

Lt. Archie Adanza, information officer of the Naval Forces Northern Luzon, said an aircraft with a rescue team on board were sent to scour the area where the M/V Fortune Life sank. 

The incident was reported to the PCG action center here by the China Maritime Rescue and Coordinating Center, which received a distress alert from the cargo ship.

Six crewmembers have been rescued by foreign vessels M/V Ashley Lady, M/V Nord Delphinus and MT Tak Tal.