One crew member died while while five others went missing after the M/V Virginia 1 sunk off Tuesday in Corregidor.
The casualty, identified as Sonny Ruado, was confirmed when four survivors were rescued Tuesday morning by a passing fisherman at the vicinity waters between La Monja and Fortune Island.
Ruado died due to exhaustion hours after the ship caught fire and sank.
The survivors, on the other hand, were Ronald Garcia, 54, Ship’s Master; Luis Madla, 60, Chief Engineer; Jun-Jun Manalo, 33, Purser; and Ian Badayos, 22, cook.
The survivors told the probers that at 1 a.m. Tuesday, one of the crew noticed a fire coming from the purser’s cabin which is adjacent to the smoke stack of the vessel.
After an hour, Garcia, ship’s master declared to abandon the ship, six crew of them went aboard a life raft while five others boarded a life boat.
Hours later, the lifeboat carrying five crew members capsized due to strong winds and big waves but they managed to cling to the boat.
The missing crew members are Cilidonio Magbanua, 54; Edwin Inajenes, 33; Dennis Gadon, 37;.\ Virgilio Macaraeg, 54; and Ramilo Fetalbero, 50.
the cargo ship was carrying sacks of feeds, several galvanized iron sheets, Uratex foams, student arm chairs from the Department of Education, plastic empty drums, ice chests, and water containers among others. (Betheena Kae Unite)