Fishing boat with Pinoys sinks off Brunei

MANILA, Philippines — A fishing vessel carrying 11 crewmembers – including seven Filipinos – capsized off the coast of Brunei last week, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said yesterday.

Citing a report of the Philippine embassy in Bandar Seri Begawan, the DFA said two of the 11 crewmembers of Brunei-flagged Radims 2 were rescued before search and rescue operations ended on Sunday, or four days after the incident. The DFA did not disclose the nationality of the survivors.

“The search and rescue operations were halted yesterday as no crewmembers in the identified search area, other than the two previously rescued, were found,” the DFA said in a statement.

According to the Philippine Overseas Labor Office, the last communication between the owner of Radims 2 and its captain was on Aug.7.

“Since then, Brunei’s National Search and Rescue Coordination Committee has sought assistance from the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency in locating missing crewmembers,” the DFA said.

49 rescued off Samar

Meanwhile, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) yesterday rescued 49 passengers and crew of a motorized boat that was half-submerged off Calbayog, Samar. 

Initial investigation showed that at 11:20 a.m. yesterday, the M/B Mia Romcis was battered by strong winds and big waves in waters off Barangay Aguit-itan, about 100 meters from the Port of Calbayog, causing it to almost capsize. 

The boat was en route to Tagapul-an, Western Samar from Calbayog when the incident occurred. – With Evelyn Macairan