FOUR fishermen died and another was reported missing after their boat capsized off Bagac town in Bataan, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported yesterday.
Citing a belated report, PCG communications officer Joy Gumatay said the incident occurred about 18 nautical miles from the shoreline of Barangay Saysain last Thursday.
The PCG’s Morong substation said the F/bca Gra Twin Sister, with 50 people on board, capsized after it was battered by big waves.
Upon being informed of the mishap, Gumatay said the PCG’s BRP Malabrigo (MRRV-4402) was dispatched to render assistance.
The bodies of the four fishermen were found while 45 others were rescued unharmed.
The missing fisherman is the subject of a continuing search and rescue operation.
“The SAR (search and rescue) team advised all fisherfolks to immediately report to the nearest PCG unit if they saw the missing crew member,” said Gumatay.
The PCG also said it has accounted for the missing passenger of a vessel that caught fire and sank off President Carlos P. Garcia town in Bohol on Sunday afternoon.
Gumatay said Andy Toniacao, 32, a resident of Barangay San Juan, Hilongos town in Leyte, was among those rescued.
“He was among those rescued and was brought to the port of Hilongos. But he immediately went home due to trauma, thus he was noted as missing,” said Gumatay, adding 164 people, composed of 156 passengers and eight crewmembers, were rescued.
The PCG said the lone fatality in the mishap, Adolfo Rañola, 53, was a passenger of the ill-fated vessel.
PCG investigators are still determining the cause of the fire.
