Pinoy seafarers involved in rescue of foreigners stranded at Mediterranean Sea

Several Filipino seafarers were involved in the rescue of foreigners stranded in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea with no food and no fuel, according to the “Good Vibes” report of GMA Regional One North Central Luzon’s Russell Simorio on “Saksi” Friday.

Seafarers onboard an oil tanker vessel that include 18 Pinoys and four Turkish nationals, rescued foreigners aboard a passengers vessel in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea.

The foreigners have been stranded for four days as they ran out of food and fuel.

One of the leaders of the rescue operation was the tanker’s chief engineer, Sonny Sison, who hails from Lingayen in Pangasinan province.

Sison related that they initially intended to just call the Italian Coast Guard to inform them of the situation of the foreigners and to conduct a rescue operation.

“Kaso, nung nakalapit kami sa kanila, bali nag unahan sa binibigay namin na pagkain hanggang muntik nang tumaob ang bangka nila,” he said.

Sison and the rest of the crew were on their way to Tunisia when they received the distress call from the vessel, which was on its way to Italy.

The foreigners are now in the custody of the Coast Guard in Italy and are in good condition. — BAP, GMA Integrated News