Bodies of boat capsize victims recovered off Tawi-Tawi
ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — Fishermen recovered on Monday the bodies of at least seven persons who drowned when their boat capsized in the waters off Sitangkai, Tawi-Tawi.
Lt. Cmdr. Euphraim Jayson Diciano, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG)-Tawi-Tawi commander, said the victims were among the 15 passengers of the pumpboat, nine of them children, who left for Sabah last July 30.
Diciano said the pumpboat capsized after it encountered strong winds and big waves near Siamel island off Sabah.
The lone survivor, Ibrahim Hassan Mandul, was rescued last Aug. 3 in the vicinity of Talapan reef.
Mandul said the recovered bodies, which are in advanced state of decomposition, are his neighbors in Barangay Banyaran Lookan, Sapa-Sapa town.
However, Mandul refused to reveal their purpose in going to Sabah.
The PCG said the pumpboat had no clearance to travel to Sabah.
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