Seven people, including four minors, were rescued off the coast of Barangay Pisong, La Libertad, Negros Oriental, early Thursday, Nov. 5, after the motor banca they were riding capsized several hours earlier due to water intrusion, a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) official said.
Lt. Marionne Abigail Enopia, commander of the Coast Guard Station Negros Oriental, said that the seven people were returning to their home in Barangay Kalabonon, municipality of Dumanjug in Cebu after visiting graves of relatives during the “Undas” observance during the weekend.
“They boarded a small motor banca and departed from the port in Barangay Bulado in Guihulngan City (Negros Oriental) on Wednesday evening,” Enopia said, quoting a report from the Coast Guard Sub-station in that northern city.
Based on initial investigation, the motor banca’s experienced engine trouble and would not start, and water intrusion later caused it to capsize around 8 o’clock in the evening, she added.
Due to lack of communication means, the seven stayed in the water for several hours until a fisherman identified as Georgy Oliviros, who went fishing spotted them in the water around 5 a.m. Thursday and rescued them.
They were subsequently brought to shore in Barangay Martilo, La Libertad town, where Coast Guard and Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (LDRRMO) personnel assisted them.
They were provided food and brought to the hospital for medical examination and all were declared safe without injuries.
The Coast Guard facilitated their safe travel on board a roll-on, roll-off vessel MV Island III bound for Barangay Tangil in Dumanjug, Cebu from the Bulado Port in Guihulngan City.
The rescued individuals were identified as Felipe Mahinay, 46 years old; Aiza B. Mahinay, 9 years old; Ivy B. Mahinay, 12 years old; Rico B. Mahinay, 14 years old; James M. Villanueva, 10 years old; Roel Alcorera Bani, 20 years old; and Raquel M. Vilando, 38 years old.
Enopia said there was no sighting of the distressed motor banca which was described to be of color blue and with a 13 horsepower engine.
The Coast Guard has alerted adjacent barangays for the possible sighting of the capsized motor banca, she added.*PNA
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