RP skippers body recovered off Japan

MANILA, Philippines – The Filipino skipper of a cargo ship that sank following a collision in western Japan was found dead yesterday, bringing the death toll to two, the Japanese coast guard said.

The body of the ship’s captain, identified as Tomasniri D. Demandaco Jr., was recovered after it was pulled in by a fishing boat in its trawl net, the coast guard said.

Another Filipino crew member was rescued last Wednesday but later died in a nearby hospital. Two other Filipino seamen remain missing.

Three vessels collided last Wednesday in the Akashi Strait, part of Japan’s Inland Sea. A 1,466-ton Belizean cargo ship with nine Filipino crew on board sank.

Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) spokesperson Claro Cristobal said search and rescue operations continue for the two missing Pinoy sailors.

Cristobal said two of the five rescued Pinoy seafarers are now in stable condition while the rest remain in intensive care.

He said the Philippine embassy in Tokyo and the Consulate General in Osaka are closely coordinating with Japanese authorities on the rescue and assistance efforts.

Collisions are common in the Akashi Strait, one of Japan’s busiest bodies of water that links major cities in western Japan with the Pacific Ocean. – Pia Lee-Brago