By RAYMUND F. ANTONIO • DANNY J. ESTACIO
Four persons were killed while 166 passengers were rescued after a fast craft sank between Dinahican Point, Infanta and Agta Point, Polilio Island in Quezon yesterday, the Philippine Coast Guard said.
Eighty-one passengers remain missing and are the subject of ongoing search and rescue operations.
The four fatalities were unidentified as of presstime. Their bodies were reportedly brought to Claro M. Recto Hospital in Infanta, Quezon.
Eleven of the rescued were identified as Donna Marasigan, Limuel Marasigan, Ruben Saltura, Vhon Lemuel Marasigan, Hyracel Amande, Marilou Jose Diasanta, Jezriel Azul, Jhandell Azul, Dominador Zapanta, Rhian Valleros Pagao, and Relan Balot. They were taken to the Claro M. Recto District Hospital.
Capt. Armand Balilo, spokesperson of the PCG, said Mercraft 3 departed from Ungos Port in Real, Quezon with 251 passengers onboard and was enroute to Polilo Island when the maritime incident occurred.
PCG main headquarters in Manila received a report at 11 a.m. from Coast Guard Station Northern Quezon that Mercraft 3 went down in the vicinity.
“As per initial information received, said craft has maximum capacity of 286 passengers and 251 were reportedly onboard,” said Balilo. “Hopefully, the number is correct and there is no excess passengers,” he added.
Cause of the sinking remains unclear. PCG initially traced the sinking of the fast craft to bad weather.
“There is a huge possibility that the bad weather affected its sea travel,” Balilo said. “After the conduct of search and rescue, we will conduct our investigation and we will find out what really happened,” he said.
The Coast Guard has dispatched its rescue teams from Southern Luzon to Real. It has also coordinated with the Armed Forces of the Philippines Southern Luzon Command for the deployment of its air and maritime assets for the SAR mission.
