ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — Seven Filipino fishermen, whose motorized boat developed engine trouble, have been rescued by a Japanese vessel at the border of Indonesia, the Philippine Navy reported yesterday.
The fishermen – Abdennnasir Bandahala, Nisar Haiber, Benhar Idanny, Altaim Latip, AbdeRolly Posadas, Hamid Sahabat and Jimmy Sakilan – had been drifting for a week when the M/M Shinryo Maru spotted their boat F/B Hermes II on Tuesday.
The fishermen, all residents of Zamboanga City, said they sailed out on Nov. 15 to test their motorized boat.
They said they were sailing toward Tawi-Tawi when a log hit and damaged their boat.
The Navy’s monitoring station on Balut Island received information from their Indonesian counterpart regarding the location of Hermes II.
The Naval Forces Eastern Mindanao dispatched the BRPs Ismael Lomibao and Artemio Ricarte to pick up the fishermen from the Shinryo Maru near Sagbi Point in Sarangani.
The Navy said the families of the fishermen have been informed about their rescue.