Search still on for 4 missing in sunken ship

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) resumed its search and rescue operations off Palawan yesterday morning after getting reports that four other people were missing from M/V Josille II that sank off Pagawanin Island.

PCG spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Armand Balilo said their divers, along with local rescue teams and the Navy, resumed rescue operations at around 8 a.m. yesterday when they learned that not everyone aboard the ship had been accounted for. 

As of 3 p.m. yesterday, Balilo said six fatalities were reported in the maritime mishap, identified as Nita Huyo-A, Pamela Ann Calriza, Jessa Mae Estarija, Severino Eliseo, John Aldrin Atienza, and Juanito Tito. Of the six fatalities, only one, Tito, was not in the ship’s manifest.

Fifty-six other people aboard the vessel were rescued.

The Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) suspended on Wednesday the operations of Atienza Shipping Co., owner of M/V Josille II.

In a statement, Marina officer-in-charge Administrator Nicacio Conti said Atienza Shipping Co. has been prohibited from operating its other ship, the M/V April Rose.

Marina suspended the ship safety certificate of M/V April Rose, a 250-gross ton, steel-hulled vessel that plies the Manila-Coron and Manila–Culion, Palawan routes. 

Meanwhile, three people were reported missing after their pumpboat sank off Surigao City yesterday morning, police said.

Search and rescue operations were ongoing as of press time. – With Cecille Suerte Felipe