Bodies of tanker's 2 missing crew found

The bodies of the captain and radio operator of tanker, MV Michael I, who disappeared when their service boat capsized off the seawaters of barangay Catarman, Liloan town Wednesday evening, were finally found by the divers of Michael Shipyard.

First to be found and recovered, at 8pm Saturday, was the body of the vessel's radio operator, Romeo Sangcap, and then that of ship captain Rudy Samillano, according to policemen PO2 Ritchello Ayuda and PO3 Riquerdo Enriquez.

The crew's missing bodies were found underwater, on the spot where the vessel capsized, SPO1 Claudio Castro Jr., told The FREEMAN yesterday.

He said Samillano's remains now lies at his house in sitio Suba, barangay Poblacion, Liloan while that of Sancap was claimed by his family from barangay Guadalupe, Cebu City.

The two were among the three fatalities in the sea accident, which had seven survivors. They were on their way to the ship off coast when the service boat they were riding capsized due to strong waves.

The third fatality was ship's quartermaster Benjie Bulala whose body was found floating in the seas, at dawn the next day after the incident.

Bulala was first taken to a nearby hospital but the attending physician declared him dead on arrival. - Norvie S. Misa