Search and rescue operations are ongoing for 10 crew of a cargo vessel which lost contact since Oct. 27, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said.
In a statement, the PCG said the MV Sta. Monica-A1, owned by Synergy Sea Venture Inc., left a port in Taytay, Palawan on Oct. 22 to seek shelter due to adverse weather conditions.
“The vessel was reported unreachable by the clearing officer on Oct. 27. Multiple attempts to contact the crew, consisting of 10 members, including the captain, have since been unsuccessful,” the statement read.
Currently, the PCG is verifying reports of floating carabaos, lifeless individuals, and other equipment near the waters off Paluan, Occidental Mindoro. It added that the focus of the search and rescue is in the area.
The ongoing investigation revealed that fishermen from several barangays in Mamburao, Occidental Mindoro, reported the recovery of 10 empty LPG tanks during their fishing ventures.
The tanks were allegedly sold to a local buyer, and CGSS Mamburao personnel later confirmed the presence of tanks with the said buyer.
A resident of Barangay Marikit, Paluan, Occidental Mindoro, also reported sightings of two floating cadavers and an undetermined number of dead carabaos approximately 14 nautical miles off Paluan on October 28.
A local fisherman, on the other hand, later confirmed this sighting while returning from a fishing trip but was unable to further investigate due to the proximity of the floating objects.
Further investigation revealed that on Oct. 29. a resident of Sitio Dungon, Barangay Tayamaan, Mamburao, informed the local PCG unit that his nephew had recovered a life jacket marked "MV STA MONICA-A1" and two unmarked life rings approximately 10 nautical miles off Paluan during a fishing trip.
The items were already secured by local Coast Guard personnel in Mamburao.
“In response to the developments, the PCG-251 Islander of PCG conducted an aerial search over the waters off North East El Nido and Mamburao, Mindoro, in an effort to locate further signs of the missing vessel,” the PCG statement read.
“The PCG continues its coastal and seaborne patrols in search of further debris and signs of the missing vessel. Representatives of Synergy Sea Venture Inc. have coordinated with the PCG for updates, and search operations will persist, weather and sea conditions permitting,” it added.