Survivors of sunken vessel recount ordeal

CEBU - Eight days after the cargo ship LCT Marc Jason sank near Calayan Island off the Luzon mainland, four survivors faced the media yesterday and recounted their ordeal in the open sea- all of them saying they were lucky enough to survive the cold winds, gigantic waves and sharks.

Apart from an empty stomach, crew members Dante Resuma, Larry Sacedon, Melvin Evangelista and Mark Rigonan only had a few bruises when they were rescued by passing vessels.

Resuman, 35, was the first to be rescued by MT Lotus Gas only two hours after the sinking.

Next to be rescued was Sacedon, 28, who stayed in the water for 15 hours before MT Shun Victory heeded their ship’s distress call. In fact, Sacedon was lucky enough to be spared by a shark that attacked his fellow crewmember who was just near him during the rescue. Three dolphins were reportedly circling him, which prevented the shark to go near.

And while the other crewmember eventually survived, he was not rescued the same time with Sacedon, as big waves took him away.

“Gi-ingnan ko sa mga crewmembers nga nag-rescue nako nga while ilaha kong gitabang, naay shark sa ako-ang duol pero maayo na lang gani naay tulo ka dolphins nga nag-alirong nako mao nang wala gyud nakaduol ang shark. Milagro gyud to,” Sacedon said.

Meanwhile, Evangelista, 23, and Rigonan, 22, stayed in the water for about 17 hours before they were spotted by MT Lotus Gas, the vessel that rescued Resuman.

“Gutom na gyud kaayo. Maayo na lang kay nakadala ko og usa ka putos nga biscuit ug gatas sa ako-ang backpack. Mao to amoang gikaon pero mao sad lagi parat ang among biscuit ug gatas,” Rigonan said.

There were 14 crewmembers and six drivers and operators of the heavy equipment on board the LCT Marc Jason when the incident happened.

Two crew members who were unfortunate enough to be bitten by sharks were rescued by another foreign vessel and are currently recuperating in Manila.

The other eight crew members and vessel’s captain are now in Japan after they were rescued by vessels that were heading to the country.

As of yesterday, four crewmembers remain missing, including the vessel’s chief engineer Manuel Batulan, 57, second engineer Lito Maquilan, 37, oiler Marlon Ramirez, 30, and apprentice Joseph Neri, 21.

Jaime Suarez, operations manager of Jomalia Shipping Corporation, said the area where the vessel sank has been likened to the Bermuda Triangle where ships just disappear without a trace. However, it was reportedly already too late when the ship crew realized this. – Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon/JMO   (THE FREEMAN)