‘Seniang’ hampers retrieval operations for sunken ferry

SURIGAO CITY — Surigao City Mayor Alfonso Casurra called off the the last retrieval operations of the sunken MB Leonida II yesterday due to tropical storm "Seniang."

Fifteen passengers, believed to be trapped inside the ill-fated ferry, which was down 316 feet deep off the coast Halian Island, are still missing.

The weather bureau has placed the entire Surigao del Norte province, Dinagat and Siargao islands on Signal No. 2 yesterday and the city was already experiencing occasional gusty winds and continuous rains.

MARINA officer-in-charge Sophie Castaños told The STAR that all sea trips of smaller sea vessels and wooden boats plying the nine island towns of Siargao and the seven island towns of Dinagat have been cancelled.

South Korean divers from Moalboal Diving Club in Lapu-lapu City, Cebu have volunteered to help in the last and final retrieval operations.

So far, 19 people were confirmed dead, including Del Carmen Mayor Arlencita Navarro, Del Carmen Municipal Councilor Juanita Comon and Municipal Accountant Elena Jornales.

The 15 others who were missing and presumed dead by the Surigao City and Surigao del Norte Disaster Coordinating Councils are: Burgos Municipal Councilor Agustin Espanto, Thelma Villar Burdeos and her two-year-old son Jessie Earl, Vicente Donoso, Carlo Flores, Michelle Golo, Henry Luna, Romualdo Pacqueo, Jessie Salipong, Maricel Toldo, Mika Jane Toldo, Michael Toldo, Judil Linogao, Eric Camillones and Estelito Comboy.

Casurra said some 26 air cylinders or scuba tanks are needed for the retrieval operations, including one medical oxygen, hyperbaric chambers capable of six atmospheres in case of emergencies and four helium tanks or cylinders.

The Korean divers will stay 15 to 20 minutes at the ocean floor while another Korean diver will act as safety diver and another one will operate the deep-sea camera system.

Casurra said huge steel cables will be used to drag the sunken boat up to waters about 50 feet deep.

"That all in all will cost us some half a million pesos," Casurra added.

Earlier Surigao del Norte Gov. Robert Lyndon Barbers told The STAR in a text message that although South Korean divers are volunteers the equipment they will use will be provided by the government of Surigao del Norte and Surigao City.