4 missing in Zamboanga sea mishap

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — Search and rescue operations continued yesterday for four persons, three of them city hall employees, who were reported missing when their boat was reportedly hit by a speeding watercraft and sank in the waters off Sta. Cruz Island, some 2.1 nautical miles from this city.

Mayor Maria Isabelle Climaco-Salazar identified the victims as Badzair Attan, 46, Mudzmar Habing and Ibrahim Hassan, 37, all personnel of the Protected Area Management Office of the Zamboanga City government, and boatman Rasbi Ambiting, 22.

The wreckage of the boat was recovered in the waters off Barangay Sinunuc.