MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) is searching for 13 missing crew members of a Panamanian-registered cargo vessel which recently capsized in the waters off Vigan in Ilocos Sur.
PCG Northwestern Luzon district commander and Captain Leovigildo Panopio said on Saturday, November 28, that they have dispatched two search and rescue (SAR) vessels to find the crew of M/V Fortune Life, which sank Friday past 8 pm while bound for Malaysia.
“Under the SAR plan, the search is perpendicular. We are looking for the survivors who were able to float,” he said.
According to Panopio, the PCG could not send a diver because the ship was too deep underwater. The rough sea condition is also hampering the ongoing search for missing persons.
Panopio said he is not yet aware of the identities and nationalities of the M/V Fortune Life crew members.
When the foreign vessel sank on Friday, 3 vessels – M/V Great Tang, M/V Yue Dian, and M/T Ashley – helped in the SAR.
The PCG reported that M/T Ashley “rescued 6 crew members” of M/V Fortune Life before continuing its passage to Japan.
The two other vessels are still in Philippine waters as of posting time.– Rappler.com