'Habagat' sinks fishing boat off Batangas; 11 fishermen survive
Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) personnel assist fishermen who swam to the shore after their boat, FV "Unity World", sank off the coast of Lian, Batangas on July 23, 2025 due to the effects of southwest monsoon (habagat). (Photo: PCG)
A fishing boat carrying 11 fishermen and 40,000 liters of oil sank off the coast of Lian, Batangas on Wednesday, July 23, amid the bad weather caused by southwest monsoon (habagat), the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said.
Fishing vessel “Unity World” sank at 2 a.m. around 2.25 nautical miles off Sitio Talim in Barangay Luyahan after it encountered big waves and strong wind, according to the Coast Guard Station (CGS) Batangas.
According to the fishermen, their boat departed Navotas Fish Port Pier 1 en route to Cuyo, Palawan to pick up fish supplies when it encountered rough sea conditions near Fortune Island.
This prompted the vessel’s master to direct the crew to abandon the boat as water began to enter.
The CGS Batangas then received a report from BRP Dagupan, a Philippine Navy ship, regarding a distress call from FV Unity World, so it immediately dispatched search and rescue personnel.
The PCG said the fishermen managed to reach the shoreline safely using floating devices before they were assisted by the responding coast guard team.
“All crew members were accounted for and are in good condition following a health check conducted by the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO),” the PCG said.
Meanwhile, the PCG continued to monitor the shoreline of Lian as the boat was found to be carrying approximately 40,000 liters of automotive diesel oil when it sank.
The Coast Guard Sub-Station Lian proceeded to Matabungkay shoreline but it could not launch water assets to search for the sunken boat due to rough seas.
The PCG said its team was continuously monitoring the area. It said it was also coordinating with the local government unit of Lian and concerned agencies to implement oil spill mitigation measures.