2 bodies recovered from sunken cargo ship identified

MANILA, Philippines - Two bodies recovered from the Filipino-crewed, Bahamas-flagged cargo ship that sank off the coast of Vietnam on Jan. 2 have been identified as those of the Filipino skipper and Filipino third officer.

Quoting a report from the Philippine embassy in Hanoi, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) spokesman Charles Jose identified them as Bulk Jupiter skipper Ronnel Acueza Andrin and third officer Jerome Maquilang Dinoi.

The remains of Andrin and Dinoi have been transferred to Ho Chi Minh City, where the Philippine honorary consul general and a representative of the  manning agency Magsaysay Maritime Corp. are making arrangements for their repatriation.

Angelito Capindo Rojas, the ship’s chief cook, has been rescued.

He is now under the care of the Vietnam Maritime Research and Rescue Coordinating Center in Vung Tau City.

Speaking to reporters, Jose said Rojas is unable to give a statement to the investigators as he still in shock.

“The repatriation of Mr. Roxas is also being worked out,” he  said. “We make the arrangements and we will try to bring them back to the Philippines as soon as possible, but we can not put a definite time frame.”

Jose said the Vietnamese government has to   issue documents for the repatriation of the remains. “We do not have control over that, so it is difficult to put a time frame but we will try to bring them back as soon as possible,” he said.

The search for the other crew members continues with Vietnamese authorities leading the effort. The investigation of the cause of the incident is also ongoing.

Jose said the Vietnamese government had asked assistance from other countries who may have vessels nearby to help in the search.

“Weather is a factor in the area,” he said. “Although the actual cause of the sinking is still under investigation. Everyone is hoping that we will still find survivors.”

In a statement on its website on Saturday, Jupiter’s owner Gearbulk Holding Limited   confirmed the sinking of the ship without citing the date.

“It is now confirmed Bulk Jupiter capsized and sank about 150 NM off the Vietnamese coast,” Gearbulk said.

Gearbulk said Jupiter departed Kuantan, Malaysia on Dec. 30 at around 8 p.m. local time, with 19 crew members, all Filipinos, on board.

The vessel was carrying 46,400 cu.m. of bauxite in bulk, stowed in all five of its cargo holds.

Gearbulk said repeated attempts to contact the vessel on all communication channels were unsuccessful.

The Japanese Coast Guard received the distress alert and immediately initiated search and rescue operation. One lifeboat and a life raft, both empty, were found, Gearbulk added.

The tug boat M/V OLNG Muttrah picked up Rojas.

A man from Davao City was identified as among the 19 Filipino crewmen of Jupiter.

Alexis Thomas Bacalla had recently graduated cum laude from the Davao Merchant Marine Academy of the Philippines with a Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Transportation.

His family has been awaiting news from the search and rescue operations in Vietnam for   other crewmen.

Bacalla posted on his Facebook account about the small gathering they had on the ship before sailing off for China from Kuantan, Malaysia.

Last Dec. 8 he left Davao City to fly to Kuantan where the ship was docked.

Crewmen’s benefits

Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz has assured the families of the Jupiter’s crew that their manning agency is   working for their benefits.

Magsaysay shipping is coordinating with the ship owner for the benefits of the crew, she added.

Baldoz said the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) is also working on the assistance and benefits to be provided to the survivors and the families of the fatalities.

These benefits will include livelihood and scholarship for the dependents of the workers, she added.

Rescue team to Vietnam

Malacanang said yesterday the Philippines may send a team to Vietnam to help in the search and rescue operations for Jupiter’s crew.

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said no new bodies have been recovered aside from the two reported earlier and one survivor.

The Vietnam Navy added three helicopters to the search efforts and is calling on other countries in the area to help in the search, he said.

“We are asking (the) secretary of national defense (Voltaire Gazmin) if we can extend assistance, the secretary of national defense is now looking into it,” he said.

Pinoy on ship in Scotland

Jose also confirmed yesterday that a Filipino was among the crewmen on board a cement-carrying cargo ship that capsized and sank off Scotland’s north-east coast.

“We are still waiting for updates from our embassy in London,” he said. “A Filipino was confirmed among those on board the vessel that sank off Scotland.”

The search for eight crewmen missing after their ship capsized and sank has been suspended.

Seven Poles and one Filipino were on board the Cypriot-registered Cemfjord that capsized in the Pentland Firth between the Scottish mainland and the Orkney islands.

Reports said two helicopters, four lifeboats and five coastguard rescue teams were involved in the search, but there was no sign of the missing crewmen. – With Edith Regalado, Sheila Crisostomo, Aurea Calica