AN unidentified vessel rammed a Filipino fishing boat off Lubang, Occidental Mindoro last January 30, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said yesterday.
Five of the fishermen aboard the FBCA Prince Elmo 2 drifted to Vietnam where they were rescued by a Vietnamese cargo vessel last February 16, the PCG said.
Three other fishermen are still missing and are the subject of continuing search and rescue operations.
PCG deputy spokesman Lt. Cdr. Michael John Encina said the eight fishermen left Naic, Cavite aboard their boat last January 17.
He said the fishermen were on their way back to Naic last January 30 when they were rammed by an unidentified vessel off Lubang.
Encina said PCG investigators spoke with the rescued fishermen last Wednesday. Unfortunately, Encina said the fishermen were “unable to identify the vessel (that rammed them).
“It happened so fast…They can’t say if the vessel that hit them was locally-flagged or foreign-flagged,” said Encina.
The PCG said the five fishermen were rescued last February 16 by MV Dong An, a Vietnamese cargo vessel which Encina said was en route to Bataan at that time.
The five were turned over to the PCG last Wednesday, the PCG said.
“There are three fishermen still reported missing,” said Encina.
He said the concerned PCG units and local government units have been alerted to help in efforts to locate the missing fishermen.
Encina said an investigation is ongoing to identify the vessel that rammed the fishing boat.
