ZAMBOANGA CITY – A Chinese national who attempted to cross the Pacific Ocean with the use of a rowboat was found dead recently at the shoreline of Kinapusan Island in Barangay Nusa-Nusa, South Ubian town, Tawi-Tawi.
Armed Forces of the Philippines-Western Mindanao Command (AFP-WestMinCom) commander Lt. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana said Ruihan Yu’s boat was last spotted from air at 3:20 p.m. off Marshall Islands near north of Taongi Atoll on Nov. 30, 2019.
“An approximately 24 feet long, white with red and blue stripes ocean rowing boat labeled with number 88 was also found in the area,” Sobejana said.
Based on recent international publications, the recovered male cadaver was possibly that of Mr. Ruihan Yu. His boat might have capsized and communication was lost, Sobejana said.
The recovered rowboat was the same as the one posted in the Marshall Islands journal dated December 6, 2019, the AFP-WestMinCom commander said.
A resident of Kinapusan Island, Barangay Nusa-Nusa, South Ubian had spotted the headless cadaver along the shoreline, wearing a blue diving suit lying in a rock along the shoreline of the island on April 24, 2020,” Joint Task Force Tawi-Tawi Commander Col. Arturo Rojas said.
Based on initial assessment made by the military and local officials of South Ubian, the body and the rowing boat were drifted by the sea current from the Celebes Sea towards the seawaters of South Ubian.
The body, being in the state of decomposition, was immediately buried in the area by the members of Barangay Peacekeeping Action Teams (BPATs) while the ocean rowing boat was brought to South Ubian Municipal Hall in Barangay Bengkolon for proper disposition.
“We will provide the needed assistance to the family of Mr. Ruihan Yu if they want to go to Tawi-Tawi to check and verify if indeed it is the cadaver of Ruihan,” Sobejana said.
“Rest assured that the Yu family and relatives are safe and secured during their visit to Tawi-Tawi,” Sobejana added.
Yu had previously attempted to cross the Pacific from California to Australia in 2017 but had to abandon his attempt after his boat suffered a damaged rudder off the coast of Hawaii and had to be rescued by the US Coast Guard (USCG) stationed in Honolulu.
On November 27, 2019, search and rescue (SAR) mission was reportedly conducted by the USCG utilizing a C130 aircraft after a 911 call in Missouri from Ann Pang, a friend of Ruihan Yu’s cousin.
The SAR aircraft was dispatched from Hawaii to the Marshall Islands but the search was called off after reaching over 120 hours with negative result. (Nonoy E. Lacson)