8 people in distressed boat in Tawi-Tawi rescued

COTABATO CITY, Philippines — Eight seafarers in boat adrift due to engine trouble some five miles off Sibutu Island in Tawi-Tawi were rescued by a Navy team before dawn Tuesday.

Brig. Gen. John Guyguyon, director of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, said Wednesday personnel of the Philippine Navy’s Task Group Task Group Tawi-Tawi had managed to rescue the eight passengers of M/L Rihana using a patrol craft.

The M/L Rihana was sailing from Sibutu, an island town in Tawi-Tawi, to the provincial capital, Bongao, when its engine malfunctioned.

Reports reaching Guyguyon’s office here stated that the Navy unit in Tawi-Tawi also immediately towed the distressed boat to Bongao.