2 more bodies of fishermen found in Cavite collision site

MANILA, Philippines - Two more bodies of fishermen were recovered yesterday near the site where a fishing boat reportedly collided with a cargo vessel in Cavite Wednesday night.

With the total recovered bodies now at four, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) expressed fear the other three missing fishermen might have been trapped in the sunken vessel.

PCG spokesman Commander Armand Balilo said divers from the Special Operations Group (SOG) found the bodies of Romnick Rosales and Ruben Ursal at around 10 a.m.

Found earlier were Jojo Cumbilla and Vincent dela Cruz.

The fishing boat F/B Dan Israel-G was reportedly carrying 23 fishermen when it collided with a still unknown cargo vessel on Wednesday night.

As of yesterday, rescue teams brought 25 empty drums at the collision site some three nautical miles of Ternate to re-float the boat.

He said the possibility that the missing fishermen were trapped in the boat was strong, noting survivors’ accounts that some of them were asleep when the collision occurred.

Balilo said the search for the missing victims continues not only in the waters off Cavite, but also in Bataan.

The 12.66 gross tonnage fishing boat reportedly had an outrigger and a roof that could have made it difficult for some of the crew men to escape as the boat was sinking.

The fishermen told authorities that after the collision, the crew members of the cargo ship allegedly even pointed their flashlight at them.

Balilo said these details have yet to be verified.