11 fishermen missing off Luzon

High winds and rough seas in the South China Sea off the coast of Pangasinan and La Union provinces swept up at least 11 fishermen who were reported missing, authorities reported yesterday.

The Philippine Coast Guard dispatched boats to search for the fishermen after their families reported them missing, La Union police director Senior Superintendent Samuel Diciano said.

They embarked for the high seas Friday night and were expected to return with their catch yesterday morning but only 30 fishermen, who had gone to sea aboard 13 fishing boats, were able to return.

The rescued fishermen said the waters on where they were fishing became rough at around 1 a.m. yesterday with strong southerly winds. Diciano said that spot reports revealed that the number of missing fishermen had risen to 80 by afternoon and 111 as of press time.

All coastal town police units in the vicinity of the mishap are on alert. — Artemio Dumlao, Cecille Suerte Felipe