ZAMBOANGA CITY , Philippines — Four crewmembers of a fishing vessel were believed to have died from suffocation while cleaning the storage room of the boat in this city yesterday.
The fatalities were identified as storage room keepers John Edgar Dotillos, 22, and Ryan Christian Villariz, 28, and their helpers Ranilo Sanogal Jr., 29, and Arnold Obañana, 25.
Two of the fatalities were declared dead on arrival in a hospital where two others died while being treated.
The incident occurred at around 6:30 a.m. as the victims were cleaning the storage room of the F/B Kevin, which was docked at the port of a sardine factory in Barangay Cawit, police said.
Two crewmembers were first found unconscious in the storage room.
Two others tried to rescue their companions, but they too collapsed, prompting their fellow workers to call for assistance.