The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) finally retrieved and brought to shore on Sunday night, Oct. 15, a fishing boat that was accidentally rammed by a foreign vessel near Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough or Panatag Shoal). Three fishermen died in the allision that took place last Oct. 2.
In a press conference on Monday, Oct. 16, Vice Admiral Joseph Coyme, head of PCG’s Task Force Kaligtasan sa Karagatan, said the capsized Filipino fishing boat (FFB) "Dearyn" was located at approximately 180 nautical miles west of Agno, Pangasinan, and towed to Subic, Zambales.
Coyme said that the Coast Guard Aviation Force (CGAF) performed an aerial survey last week to validate the location of FFB DEARYN and extended their operations by conducting a maritime domain awareness in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
Coyme said BRP Malapascua (MRRV-4403) secured FFB Dearyn and observed that it was capsized sideward to her port with both outriggers detached and missing, and fishing gears suspended in the water.
MTUG Avior, a motor tugboat from Harbor Star Shipping, arrived in Agno, Pangasinan on Oct. 11 and began the retrieval operation with a surface and underwater inspection to assess the capsized fishing boat. Harbor Star is a maritime service provider contracted by PCG to lead the retrieval operation.
The tugboat then started the refloating operation on Oct. 14, and on the following day, FFB Dearyn was properly lashed and secured.
The Maritime Casualty Investigation Service (MCIS) inspected the fishing boat to ensure its preservation as it will be used as an evidence in the investigation being conducted by the PCG, Coyme said.
The boat was then towed at around 9 a.m. of Oct. 14 and arrived in Subic at 11:14 p.m. on the same day.
Coyme said the PCG was looking at Marshall Islands-flagged tanker MT Pacific Anna as the possible vessel that rammed FFB Dearyn.
"We utilized a monitoring system in PCG called the maritime traffic and sea vision which monitors and tracks the movement of vessels in our maritime domain. We have verified that MT Pacific Anna was the only vessel that really passed through the coordinates where FFB Dearyn was moored," Coyme said.
The PCG had coordinated with port authorities in Singapore after it monitored that MT Pacific Anna arrived there last Oct. 5.
Marshall Islands also responded to the PCG's request for an independent investigation on MT Pacific Anna.
"Magandang bagay na rin po na nagresponde sila (It's a good thing that they responded). In fact early this morning, we informed them about the recovery of FFB Dearyn. They also manifested they are very willing to conduct their own ocular inspection to complete the process," Coyme said.
"Mayroon din po tayong (We also have an) eye witness who really saw how the foreign vessel allided with their fishing boat.
Coyme said the retrieved boat will be used as an evidence in filing a case against those responsible for the Oct. 2 allision.
The PCG has requested the assistance of the Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) to perform a cost structural inspection that will be vital in establishing what vessel really rammed the fishing boat.
"The fact-finding committe of the Philippine Coast Guard will now finalize its investigation the soonest possible time because this will really help a lot in pursuing a solid case against the shipowner and the master of the vessel responsible for that allision incident," he stated.
The PCG is looking to finalize its investigation before PCG Commandant Admiral Artemio Abu retires from service on Oct. 19.