Two persons were killed when two boats collided off Cavite waters late Wednesday night, belated reports from authorities said.
As of posting time Friday, joint search and rescue team of police, coast guard, marine corps, maritime, and Cavite disaster risk reduction and management council continued to scour the area of the collision as nine remained missing. One body was recovered and 12 fishermen were rescued.
Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) chairman and Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Calabarzon regional director Vicente F. Tomazar told PNA F/B Dan Israel collided with an unidentified vessel about 11 p.m. Wednesday off the coast of Ternate and Caballo Island, Cavite City.
He said the unidentified boat remained at large as of press time.
Tomazar said the Philippine Marines and American soldiers took time off from their joint Lantern Piston exercises at its Marine Base Command in Ternate to join in the search and rescue operations until 3 p.m.
Citing survivors’ account, authorities said a container ship with wide freeboard carrying container vans heading toward Manila Bay sped away after ramming the fishing vessel.
According to survivors’ account, their fishing vessel was anchored in the waters between Caballo and El Fraile Islands when the incident happened.
The two casualties were identified as fishermen of the ill-fated fishing vessel F/B Dan Israel that capsized after the collision.
Dela Cruz’s body was recovered by the Philippine Coast Guard-Search Operations Unit underwater.
The rescued 12 survivors, all crew of the ill-fated fishing boat, were brought to nearby Corregidor Island and later transferred to the Pantungan detachment in Maragondon, Cavite for first aid.
They were later moved to the Naic Medical Hospital for further treatment while Jojo Sumbilla’s body was brought to St. Gregory Funeral Parlor in Ternate, Cavite.
The Ternate Municipal DRRMO deployed two ambulances and rescue teams, Metro Manila Coast Guard sent BRP San Juan and BRP Davao del Norte, while the Philippine Air Force sent helicopters for the aerial search of the missing fishermen.
Saturday 15 March 2014
http://www.interaksyon.com/article/82755/2-killed-in-boat-collision-off-cavite-9-still-missing