Sailboat with 5 Americans found off Surigao

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) rescued yesterday near Hibusan Island in Surigao Strait the five American passengers aboard a US sailboat from Guam that was reported missing last Tuesday.

PCG spokesman Lt. Commander Arman Balilo said the sailboat The Pineapple was found north-northwest of Dinagat Island and near Kanhandon Point in Hibusan Island at 10:50 a.m.

Balilo said The Pineapple left Guam last Jan. 6 and was bound for Cebu but the sailboat suffered engine trouble while traversing the Pacific Ocean near Philippine waters.

He said the PCG search and rescue vessel BRP San Juan towed the sailboat to Cebu yesterday afternoon and all passengers, including a woman, were in good condition.

The passengers who are all Americans were identified as female Brandi Pratt, Joe Gamec, Corey Goldhorn, Steven Blanton, and Chris Bell.

Balilo said a PCG Islander airplane that was conducting aerial surveillance of The Pineapple’s possible routes spotted the vessel last Saturday but because of poor visibility the rescuers could not confirm if the boat was the missing sailboat.

The plane returned to the area after the weather cleared yesterday and confirmed it was The Pineapple.

“The PCG’s islander plane was able to confirm today (Sunday) and the information was relayed to PCG SAR San Juan,” he said.

Balilo said BRP San Juan has established contact and confirmed the sailboat to be The Pineapple.

PCG Commandant Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo said US Coast Guard Lt. Junior Grade Justine Valentino based in Guam has also established contact with the sailboat and likewise confirmed the boat’s location.

Valentino, a search and rescue coordinator of the US Coast Guard in Guam, said that while the weather makes predictions difficult, the US Coast Guard was sending an HC-130 Hercules plane to join the operation.

The PCG dispatched two aircraft to scour the waters off central and southern islands, and the coast guard detachments and passing ships were alerted to be on the lookout for the sailboat, Tamayo said.

“As described by PCG islander, the sailboat has five persons on board including one lady,” Balilo said.

“We already relayed the report to the US Coast Guard.”

The 11-meter catamaran left the Marianas Yacht Club in Guam on Jan. 6 en route to Cebu. It was supposed to arrive in Cebu on Jan. 16.

It was only last Tuesday morning when relatives of the missing passengers reported to the US Coast Guard that the sailboat had not yet reached destination.

The US Embassy then sought the assistance of the PCG.    – With AP