PCG rescues 5 from Taiwanese ship as boiler explodes

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) rescued yesterday five crewmembers of a Taiwan vessel anchored near the breakwater in Manila after the ship’s boiler exploded.

PCG spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Armand Balilo said they received an urgent call from Andy Chen of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO), asking them to help five crewmembers of the M/V Ho-Chung who were severely injured after its ice boiler suddenly exploded around 5:45 a.m. yesterday.

He said ship captain Hon Je-Chao also contacted them through very high frequency (VHF) radio and informed them that victims were already suffering chest pains to due to sudden exposure to ammonia and asked for immediate medical evacuation.

Balilo said rescue personnel from the Coast Guard Special Operations Group (CGSOG) and PCG auxiliary medical volunteers under Captain Philip Chien used high-speed interceptor boats to pick up the injured crewmen – four Indonesians and one Taiwanese.

The crewmen were identified as Ridwan Risdiyanto Dumat, 24; Joko Lesianto, 36; Tri Susilowanto, 23; Hartoyo, 25; and Chen Cheng Hsiung, 58.

Balilo said the victims were rushed to the Chinese General Hospital in Manila for treatment.