All seven crew members of a motor tugboat that got stranded last July 26 during the onslaught of “Super Typhoon Egay” off Aparri, Cagayan have been found safe – including one who suffered from heart attack – as the vessel was finally located by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).
***Philippine Coast Guard personnel locate motor tugboat Iroquois off Camiguin Island in Calayan, Cagayan. (Courtesy of PCG)***
The PCG reported on Sunday, July 30, that MTug Iroquois was spotted near Camiguin Island off Calayan municipality in Cagayan where it drifted.
“All seven crew remained onboard as of July 29,” said PCG communications officer Joy Diane Gumatay.
“Per the PCG Station Cagayan, naging maayos din ang lagay ng crew na na-heart attack habang nasa tugboat. Hindi na kinailangan ng medical evacuation (Per the PCG Station Cagayan, the crew who had a heart attack while onboard the tugboat was also okay. Medical evacuation was no longer needed),” she added.
The PCG Station Cagayan delivered 4,000 liters of diesel to MTug Iroquois while the Coast Guard Sub-Station Camiguin continued to monitor its situation for further assistance.
Rescue operation for the crew members was underway.
However, the search for the four PCG personnel who went missing while responding to the stranded tugboat continues.
“The search and rescue operation is ongoing,” Gumatay said.
The MTug Iroquois, skippered by Mr. Elisio Abellonar together with six crew members, was dragged by strong current and large waves until it ran aground at the mouth of the Cagayan River during the onslaught of Egay.
The captain of the vessel requested PCG Station Cagayan's assistance to ferry its crew to the nearest shoreline. The PCG Station Cagayan dispatched two search and rescue teams and attempted to conduct SAR operations but it was unsuccessful due to unfavorable sea condition.
The four missing PCG personnel, which composed one of the two teams, were onboard an aluminum boat en route to the location of the stranded tugboat when they were swept away by the raging current. They have never been seen since then.
The tugboat was then dragged by strong current once more and drifted out to the sea.