PCG rescues 7 Chinese fishermen   

MANILA, Philippines —  Seven Chinese fishermen were rescued in the waters off the coast of Suluan Island in Guiuan, Eastern Samar yesterday after their fishing boat was damaged.

Philippine Coast Guard (PCG)-Tacloban sub-station commander Ricky Soniega said they received a distress call at around 3 p.m. on Thursday.
The hull of the vessel was reportedly damaged, causing it to list.

PCG spokesman Commodore Armand Balilo said BRP Cabra was deployed to rescue the crewmembers of the Chinese fishing vessel FV KAI DA 899.

The boat was towed to Tacloban port.
The PCG said it would provide the rescued crewmembers with medical care and other necessary assistance upon arrival at the port.

“As a responsible member of the international community of civilized maritime nations, the PCG renders aid to all judicious users of the seas within our search and rescue region,” Balilo said.

He said an inquiry into the presence of the Chinese vessel in Philippine waters aside from an inspection of the equipment on the boat would be conducted.
Balilo said they received reports that the Chinese vessel has been drifting at sea for four days.

“(We) will check... baka nagtago lang naman sila o naghahanap ng safe place to go,” Balilo said in a Viber message when asked if there were violations by the Chinese fishermen.

‘Friendship remains strong’

Despite continuing territorial issues in the West Philippine Sea, Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian said he believes that the friendship between China and the Philippines remains strong.

“Our friendship spans the sea as witnessed by the good work and helping hands of our fellow Chinese and Filipinos at sea,” he said in a statement issued yesterday.

Huang cited news reports that a Chinese vessel recently rescued a fisherman from Davao Oriental in the East Philippine Sea after he was found floating in the open sea.

“The fisherman, Mitricks Plaza Pichon, was saved by the crew of MV Swift Yangzhou of China and immediately brought to the Philippine Coast Guard in Surigao,” Huang said.

“I have always said that China and the Philippines are friendly neighbors separated by a strip of water. This inspiring story of our friendship and emergency assistance at sea show how our ties go above and beyond expectations,” Huang said.

The Chinese envoy said he is “thankful and touched to see how our people’s compassion for each other fosters the bonds of goodwill and understanding for China and the Philippines.” –  Michael Punongbayan