Navy rescues 10 fishermen stranded in West Philippine Sea

MANILA, Philippines - A Philippine Navy (PN) patrol ship on Tuesday rescued 10 fishermen, who got stranded for several days in the eastern part of Recto Bank (Reed Bank) in the disputed West Philippine sea.

Lt. Cherryl Tindog, spokesman of the Palawan-based Armed Forces of the Philippines-Western Command (AFP-Wescom), said the fishermen got stranded in the area after their fishing boat experienced engine trouble last week.

“After  17 hours of battling big waves in the West Philippine Sea in search for the distressed motor banca in Recto bank, the Navy’s Patrol Ship 35 (PS35), rescued the 10-man crew of  the ill-fated boat F/B 3 Sisters 98 at around 9 a.m. today (yesterday),” Tindog said.

Tindog said the fishermen were all in stable physical condition. They are now being transported by the PS35 to mainland Palawan and wre scheduled to arrive on Wednesday afternoon.

The fishermen will be taken to the Wescom hospital in Puerto Princesa City, the military spokesman added.

Tindog identified the rescued Filipino fishermen as Jessie Salac, Pedro Cabago, Reynald Cabago, Melvin Aquino, Jherson Recacurva, Benjie Bagao, Arislit Ray El Sy, Erlan Sagang, Danilo Lauan and Jayven Secor, all of Iloilo province.

Last week, the Wescom conducted an aerial and maritime search over a wide area of the Recto Bank after picking up a distress radio call from the fishermen.

After sighting the fishermen, a Nomad plane was dispatched to airdrop food, water, medicine and clothing to the 10 fishermen while waiting for the arrival of the navy ship that will pick them up.

Recto Bank, aside from being a rich fishing ground, is widely believed to contain huge mineral and oil deposits. The area, which is within the Philippines' 200 exclusive economic zone, is under the control of the Philippines.

Even as it is within Pag-Asa Island, the seat of the Kalayaan island town in the hotly-contested Spratly archipelago, Recto Bank is also being claimed by China as an integral part of its maritime domain.