Three of 13 missing people in Davao Sur sea mishap recovered dead; six remain missing

By Ronron
March 30, 2008

Six of the 13 people who went missing since Wednesday last week at an island municipality in Davao del Sur province after a sea mishap are still nowhere to be found as of Sunday, local authorities said.

Edgar Salanio, information officer of the Region XI Disaster Coordinating Council, told Manila Shimbun in a phone interview yesterday that the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) had already rescued four survivors and recovered three fatalities last Saturday.

When the incident happened in the afternoon of March 26 in the waters of Sarangani town, only one of the 14 people aboard the ill-fated motorbanca “Judi Ann” immediately survived after it capsized.

Ranilo Ulivo, 26, one of the passengers, was able to swim his way back to shore after MB “Judi Ann” overturned due to big waves some two nautical miles off Barangay Camalig of said island municipality.

The 13 others, including the boat operator, were initially reported as missing. They include two infants, two toddlers, and three other minors, among others. The oldest is a 55-year-old woman.

“We received a report from the Philippine Coast Guard Southeastern Mindanao yesterday (Saturday) that they rescued four additional survivors and recovered three dead bodies. So six are still missing, “ Salanio said.

The PCG, however, was not able to immediately provide information on the identities of those recovered and rescued.

Salanio said “the big waves” at the accident site over the weekend is “hampering” the continuous search and rescue operations being conducted by the PCG, the 5053rd Search and Rescue Squadron of the Philippine Air Force, and local authorities.

He said the PCG and the Air Force will continue with their search and rescue operations Monday.

Local fishermen were also told to be on alert for possible sightings of the remaining missing victims, said Salanio./DMS