PCG rescues 2 elderly fishermen from half-sunken boat off Bataan
(Photo: Philippine Coast Guard)
Two septuagenarian fishermen who went missing after a fishing expedition in Bataan were rescued by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) while clinging to their half-sunken boat off Orion town on Monday, July 7.
The PCG identified the fishermen as Crispin Mendoza, 70, and Rogelio Pascual, 71, both residents of Barangay Lusungan in Orion.
According to the Coast Guard Station (CGS) Bataan, Mendoza and Pacual were reported missing on July 6 after they were last seen operating their motorized banca in the vicinity waters of Pilar municipality.
The CGS Bataan immediately activated its search and rescue (SAR) team to find the missing fishermen.
PCG’s fast patrol boat BRP Boracay (FPB-2401) sighted Mendoza and Pascual at around 9:45 a.m. while “holding on to their half-submerged fishing vessel” roughly 4.7 nautical miles northeast by east of Orion's coast.
“They encountered a strong current while fishing,” Commander Michael John Encina, station commander of CGS Bataan, said.
The fishermen were transported to the Port of Capinpin in Orion aboard BRP Boracay where they were subjected to a medical check-up.
Authorities said the fishermen were found to be in good condition despite their ordeal.
After the check-up, they were brought to a rural health unit in Barangay Wawa, Orion for further evaluation and medical observation before being turned over to their respective families.