Boat hit by whale shark sinks; 2 rescued

MANILA, Philippines — Two fishermen were rescued when their boat sank after it was hit by a whale shark early yesterday in Romblon.

Edgardo Lozano, 60, and Harry Lozano, 51, were fishing in the waters off Barangay Cantagda in Cajidiocan town when their boat was struck by the shark, according to the Philippine Coast Guard.

The PCG sub-station in Cajidiocan dispatched a search and rescue team after receiving a call about the incident.

The fishermen were brought to their homes in Barangay Danao while the fishing boat was towed by another vessel.

Meanwhile, the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) suspended the safety certificates of two vessels that collided in the waters off Batangas on Wednesday, which left the captain of a water taxi and one of its crewmembers dead.

The water taxi MB Hop and Go 1 and passenger ship MV Ocean Jet 6 will undergo thorough safety inspections to determine their seaworthiness, Marina said.

PCG-Batangas station commander Capt. Jerome Jeciel said the PCG station is conducting a separate probe for “comparative” purposes.

The MV Ocean Jet 6 was carrying 105 passengers and 19 crewmembers.

Four Filipinos, four Chinese and a Swede were on the water taxi.

The two vessels collided in Matoco Point.