A fisherman who went missing for 46 days and apparently drifted for 635 kilometers – from Quezon province to Batanes – was finally rescued, albeit too weak as he survived by drinking rainwater and eating fish and coconuts, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said on Friday, Sept. 20.
Robin Dejillo, 49, of Purok Rosas, Barangay Dinahican, Infanta, Quezon, was found alive by personnel of the Coast Guard Station (CGS) Batanes on Sept. 19 while clinging into his white motorbanca in the vicinity waters of Basco.
According to the PCG, Dejillo was reported missing by the CGS Northern Quezon on Aug. 4 when he ventured at sea in Infanta.
“Mr. Dejillo shared that he failed to return to their mother boat after his motorbanca ran out of gas while conducting a fishing venture,” the PCG said.
“He survived for more than a month at sea by drinking rainwater and eating fish. He was also sustained by coconuts floating on water,” it added.
After learning that the fisherman was missing, the PCG conducted a search and rescue operation until the patrol team “sighted a white motorbanca with an elderly man on board”.
The man turned out to be Dejillo.
The CGS Batanes assisted Dejillo and towed his fishing boat to the Port of Basco.
Dejillo was also transported from the Port of Basco to the Batanes General Hospital for medical treatment.
After being checked thoroughly at the hospital, the Coast Guard District Southern Tagalog coordinated with the Coast Guard Aviation Command to deploy an aerial asset for Dejillo's transport from Batanes to his hometown in Infanta.