GENERAL SANTOS CITY – Five fishermen from Malapatan, Sarangani who were earlier reported missing after an accident in the seas off Davao Oriental late last year were reunited with their families on Thursday.
Petty Officer 2 Totoh Jailani, chief of the Philippine Coast Guard fish port station in General Santos City, said the fishermen arrived aboard a fishing vessel four days after being rescued off Mati City, Davao Oriental.
He said the five fishermen were found drifting on the high seas last January 15, 18 days after their fishing boat, F/B Maria Luz, was rammed by an unidentified cargo vessel.
The rescued fishermen were boat skipper Lyle Lao, 38; Tirso dela Cruz, 44; Alfonso Vilbar, 54; Robert Gurdo, 18; and Marjon Mirable, 23.
They were immediately brought to the Dr. Jorge P. Royeca Hospital for checkup and treatment of wounds sustained during their ordeal.
Lao said he and six other fishermen left the coastal town of Malapatan on December 23 aboard F/B Mari Luz to fish in waters off Davao Oriental.
But on the night of December 28, the passing cargo vessel struck and destroyed their fishing boat.
“We were already sleeping at that time and it was quite dark so we were not able to get the name of the cargo vessel,” Lao said. (PNA)
