BATANES – Three Ivatan fishermen were reported missing on Saturday, August 22, after they failed to return home from fishing as bad weather and rough seas caused by Severe Tropical Storm “Igme” prevailed in the area.
According to reports, the fishermen sailed to the northernmost fishing grounds of Batanes last Thursday, August 20, and were expected to be back on Saturday.
After their families and fellow fishermen started to worry about their safety, they reported them missing with the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in Basco here.
The PCG station in nearby Calayan Island and the Taiwanese Coast Guard stationed in In the latest bulletin of the Batanes provincial government, search and rescue operations conducted by naval authorities stationed in Mavulis Island were also being conducted for the missing fishermen.
Batanes Governor Marilou H. Cayco and Representative Ciriaco Gato Jr. also immediately contacted and requested assistance from the Philippine Navy and Marines.
Weather permitting, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Northern Luzon Command (Nolcom) is scheduled to deploy an aircraft on Monday, August 24, to undertake an aerial search.