Search on for survivors of boat ramming

THE Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) is searching for three Filipino fishermen whose boat was rammed by an unidentified vessel near the Spratly Islands in the West Philippine Sea.

The PCG reported that at about 8 p.m. on Jan. 30, the fishing boat Prince Elmo 2, with a crew of eight, was struck near Corregidor Island. The fishermen were stranded at sea for more than two weeks.

On Feb. 16, the Vietnamese cargo vessel MV Dong An rescued five of the fishermen who were clinging to the bow of their damaged boat.

Their three other companions are still missing.

The PCG was notified of the incident on Feb.16 by Port State Control Bataan. The BRP Boracay was deployed to rendezvous with MV Dong An off Corregidor Island.

The rescued fishermen were transferred to Boracay and handed over on Feb. 19 to the Coast Guard Sub-station Naic, and the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office Naic for medical evaluation.

Sen. Francis Tolentino, chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Maritime and Admiralty Zones, condemned the incident and highlighted previous similar cases involving foreign vessels.

"I am thankful that five of the eight fishermen from the damaged boat survived after 17 days at sea. Based on news reports, they are my province mates from Naic, Cavite," Tolentino said in a statement.

"But three of their companions are still missing. I hope our authorities can find them. I also support the efforts of the PCG to track down the culprit and for the government to take appropriate action," he added.

Tolentino recalled similar incidents, including a hit-and-run collision involving a fishing boat and a foreign vessel in Subic, Zambales, in July 2024.

One of the victims from that incident remained missing.

He also cited the October 2023 ramming of a fishing vessel by a foreign oil tanker off Panatag Shoal, which resulted in the death of three Filipino fishermen.