Search on for 7 fishermen who went missing in West Philippine Sea

MANILA, Philippines — Search and rescue operations for seven fishermen who went missing in the West Philippine Sea are still ongoing.

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said they conducted an aerial search for FB Narem and its crew members on the islands of Dasol and Camaso in Pangasinan, where they last made contact.

According to the PCG, the fishermen said in their last communication that the engine of their boat broke down.

Aboard the boat were its captain Alberto Roldan and crew members Roderick Montemayor, Homar Maglantay, Ejay Dela Cruz, Jerome Maglantay, Larry Legaspi and Jefferson Bernabe.

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources' BRP Dagohoy, Air Force jets and Navy ships have also been deployed for the search and rescue operations.

The PCG's ships in Manila are also getting ready for deployment to help look for the seven fishermen.

FB Narem left its homeport in Infanta, Pangasinan on January 6 to go fishinh and was supposed to return last January 14.

Christine Macaraig, owner of FB Narem, said she last received communication through radio from the fishermen at 2:30 p.m. on January 13. The crew was about 60 nautical miles off Barangay Hermosa in Dasol, Pangasinan at the time.

The PCG has issued a notice to mariners to inform other vessels passing through the West Philippine Sea about the incident. They have also advised local fishermen to be on the lookout for the missing boat.