PCG: 13 fishermen missing in Zambales

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Wednesday reported that 13 fishermen are currently missing after their boat sank near Bajo de Masinloc in Zambales last week due to tropical cyclone “Quiel.”

In a statement, PCG spokesman Capt. Armand Balilo revealed that the Coast Guard is conducting search and rescue operations for the missing fishermen of the sunken “FFB Three Sister.”

The PCG received information that the boat reportedly sank last 7 November at 3 a.m. about 70 nautical miles from Reed Bank as strong winds and big waves brought about by “Quiel” reportedly caused the sinking.

The fishermen were supposedly bound for Brgy. Sisiman in Mariveles, Bataan when the incident happened, the PCG said, adding that four days after the incident, a fisherman identified as Angelito Epetito Jr. was found drifting afloat using a plastic container along Bajo de Masinloc.

The PCG explained that its personnel in Bataan only received a report about the incident on 11 November, which prompted them to immediately deploy a team to rescue the other fishermen.

The rescued fisherman said that he was separated from his colleagues and were unable to regroup with them and as of Wednesday, three floating assets of the PCG are deployed to search and save the lives of the 13 missing men.

The Coast Guard added that it is set to coordinate with the Chinese Coast Guard to seek information on the whereabouts of the missing fishermen.