PCG continues search for missing crewmen of Panamanian vessel

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) yesterday continued its search for the 10 missing Chinese crew of a Panamanian cargo vessel which sank off Batanes Island on Friday.

PCG Commandant Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo said PCG Islander 251 resumed its aerial inspection yesterday to search for the missing crew of M/V Hong Wei.

“The Coast Guard Action Center received information from Lt Reimond Santos, PCG Command Pilot of PCG Islander 251, that after conducting aerial search last Saturday in the vicinity of the reported location of the sinking site of M/V Hong Wei, no additional survivors were sighted,” Tamayo said.

Likewise, efforts of SARV-002, which is also conducting surface search for said missing crew within waters of Northern Luzon, also yielded negative result, Tamayo said.

Tamayo said the PCG Communications Center continue to inform passing vessels of the said maritime incident and ask them to render assistance to possible survivors or victims of the incident.

Likewise, he said the PCG Basco Station Marine Environment Protection personnel will conduct check on the reported sightings of oil slick in the vicinity of the site of the incident.

The vessel, which had a crew of 24 Chinese, sank at around 3:22 p.m. Friday some 120 nautical miles southwest of Itbayat, Batanes, or some 100 nautical miles south of Taiwan, according to PCG spokesman Lt. Commander Arman Balilo.

Balilo said a passing ship marked Shun Tong and members of the Taiwan Coast Guard were able to immediately rescue 14 of the cargo ship’s passengers.

The PCG has yet to determine the reason behind the incident.

“Joint efforts by our own Coast Guard and those of China and Taiwan are now being conducted for the remaining missing crew,” said Captain George Ursabia, CG Northern Luzon district commander.

According to Ursabia, 12 of those crew members were rescued by a passing ship, MV Shantung, along the area, while the two others were rescued by the Taiwan Coast Guard.

Ursabia said the ill-fated ship sank in the vicinity of the country’s border with Taiwan within the jurisdiction of Batanes, Itbayat town, which is also the country’s northernmost town.