BATANGAS CITY – The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG)-Southern Tagalog temporarily suspended on All Souls’ Day the search for a 26-year-old man who jumped off a ship on the sea of Calatagan, Batangas, on Monday, October 31.
The PCG-Southern Tagalog said the search for Iloilo City resident Ralph Bernard Gerona will resume pending favorable weather conditions.
Gerona was seen on surveillance footage jumping from the top of the blower room on the starboard side of MV Maligaya.
Jerry Elico, master of MV Maligaya, told the Coast Guard Station-Batangas that Gerona jumped off the ship approximately 3.21 nautical miles west of Calatagan while the vessel was enroute from Manila to Bacolod City.
Gerona’s family did not provide relevant medical information about him during check-in and boarding, the PCG said.
The PCG-Southern Tagalog reported that despite extensive searches in Calatagan and Lubang Island, Occidental Mindoro, no positive results were obtained.
Coast Guard Sub-station Calatagan urged residents of coastal barangays in this province to report any sightings of the missing person to the PCG promptly.
BRP Boracay continues its coastal and surface search in the waters east of Lubang Island. The vessel is also conducting additional search and rescue operations in Balayan Bay, Batangas, hoping for any possible leads.