3 tourists rescued after 2 days in Philippine sea

ILOILO, Philippines (AP) — The Philippine coast guard says two German tourists and an Australian have been rescued after drifting at sea for two days.

Coast guard officer Venerando Celiz said Friday big waves capsized the small boat the tourists were in, and a passing ship found them clinging to the vessel. The Filipino skipper is missing after attempting to swim ashore for help.

They were heading from Banton Island to nearby Marinduque Island, about 25 kilometers (16 miles) away, when the boat capsized in the Sibuyan Sea, in the central Philippines.

German man Ralph Harald Auer, his son Thomas and Australian Joshua Marsh arrived Friday in Iloilo, where the ship that picked them up docked.

They are all residents of Melbourne, Australia, and were vacationing in Marinduque, home province of Auer's wife.