BASCO, Batanes , Philippines – A fisherman that the Japanese Coast Guard had rescued in the waters of Okinawa is from Babuyan island in Cagayan, not from Batanes as earlier reported.
Seaman 2nd Class Renz Louie Antonio of the Aparri Coast Guard Station said 48-year-old Julio Balanoba is a permanent resident of Babuyan island, which is at least four hours away by boat from Batanes.
A Japanese Coast Guard helicopter found Balanoba floating on his battered and overturned boat that big empty plastic bottles held afloat, according to Batanes Coast Guard chief Samuel Carrera.
Carrera said Balanoba ate his supply of watermelon and bananas while afloat for over 10 days in the high seas.
Balanoba is recuperating in the Yaeyama Hospital in Okinawa, he added.
Balanoba was caught at the height of the onslaught of Typhoon Labuyo while sailing back to Basco along the Babuyan strait from Babuyan Claro island in Cagayan, police said.
Philippine Consul-General to Japan Joy Tirol is facilitating Balanoba’s repatriation.
Balanoba’s friends said while he was coasting along the town of Ivana, 14 kilometers away in the afternoon of Aug. 11, his motorboat’s engine conked out.
The strong sea current and moderate winds pushed him back toward Balintang Channel, and from there, he was carried northeast of Batan Island into the Pacific Ocean.
Balanoba texted his friends in Basco of his predicament. Batanes Gov. Vicente Gato sent several seacraft to search for Balanoba, to no avail.
The next day, the search and rescue operations were resumed, but had to be called off when the weather worsened.