2 die as boat sinks off Northern Samar

MANILA, Philippines —  Two women died while six others were rescued when a motorized boat capsized in the waters off Laoang town in Northern Samar on Monday.

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) yesterday identified the fatalities as Jocelyn Irinco, 50, and Aurora Mengullo, 68.

Investigation showed the victims were among passengers of a private boat that encountered strong winds and big waves as it was sailing in the waters off Barangay Rawis.

The PCG substation in Laoang received a call at around 3:30 a.m. from the municipal disaster risk reduction and management council, which said a private boat had capsized in the area.

Responding PCG personnel recovered the bodies of the victims at around 4:30 a.m.

Reports said the boat departed Barangay Rawis at around 1:30 a.m. for Batad Island and later encountered bad weather.

Ensign Bryhl Amay, acting chief of the PCG-Northern Samar, said the boat was not cleared for travel.

“It departed at night, which is not allowed,” Amay said, adding the boat was not designed to transport people.

He said the passengers hired the boat to transport them to the island.

Sunken vessel’s crewmember found dead

Meanwhile, one of the missing crewmembers of a cargo vessel that sank on Monday in the waters off Lavesares town, also in Northern Samar, has been found dead.

The PCG said the search continues for the missing chief engineer of the MV Jerlyn Khatness.

Amay said 13 of the 15 officers and crewmembers of the Jerlyn Khatness were rescued.

The fatality, identified as Donde Macasaol, was found in the coastal waters of Biri town.

The PCG District Eastern Visayas identified the missing chief engineer as Andres Abualon, 63.

“The PCG deployed its BRP Cape San Agustin and a helicopter of the Philippine Air Force is also searching for the missing crewmember who is a senior citizen,” Amay said.

Of the 13 crewmembers, seven were rescued by ships passing through the area while five were found by fishermen. Another managed to swim to the shores of Barangay San Juan in Lavezares.

Amay said the PCG’s maritime safety service would conduct a marine casualty investigation to determine if the vessel was capable of transporting its cargo.

The Jerlyn Khatness was reportedly carrying 24,000 sacks of cement when it sailed from Naga City in Cebu to San Jose in Northern Samar.