2 missing as 2 ships collide in Sarangani

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) yesterday sent out a search team to locate two missing crewmen of a cargo ship that sank in the Sarangani Strait on Tuesday night after colliding with another vessel.

As of noon yesterday, PCG spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Algier Ricafrente said 21 of the 23 crewmembers of sunken M/V Bulk Carrier 1 had been rescued.

The two missing crewmen were identified as Juanito Minoy and Edward Taller.

The PCG sent divers from its Special Operations Group and three vessels – PCG craft DF-315, BRP Romblon, and a monitoring control surveillance 3004 ship jointly operated by the PCG and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources – to the site. Its PCG Islander plane was also conducting reconnaissance in the area.

The PCG also issued a notice to mariners to alert vessels passing near the area to be on the lookout for the two missing crewmen.

It was monitoring the oil slick from the sunken vessel.

The 48-meter steel-hulled M/V Bulk Carrier 1 was on its way to Dumaguete City from General Santos City when it collided with the Monrovian-registered international container vessel M/V HS Puccini that came from Hong Kong and was headed to General Santos. – With Edith Regalado