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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider PCG clarifies only 4 bodies retrieved from motorbanca 'Amejara'

PCG clarifies only 4 bodies retrieved from motorbanca 'Amejara'

Published Jan 25, 2026 12:24 pm  |  Updated Jan 25, 2026 02:46 pm
Philippine Navy (PN) personnel onboard a rubber boat equipped with cadaver bags carefully recover bodies floating in the waters southwest of Balut Island in Davao Occidental on Jan. 24, 2026. The bodies are believed to be passengers of the sunken motorbanca MBCA Amejara. (Photo: PN)
Philippine Navy (PN) personnel onboard a rubber boat equipped with cadaver bags carefully recover bodies floating in the waters southwest of Balut Island in Davao Occidental on Jan. 24, 2026. The bodies are believed to be passengers of the sunken motorbanca MBCA Amejara. (Photo: PN)
Only four bodies believed to be passengers of the sunken motorbanca MBCA Amejara, not five as earlier reported, were recovered during search and rescue operations by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), a ranking official clarified on Sunday, Jan. 25.
PCG spokesperson Capt. Noemie Cayabyab said one of the bodies spotted during an aerial search by the Coast Guard District Southeastern Mindanao (CGDSEM) on Jan. 24 turned out to be among the four cadavers earlier found by local fishermen within the search area.
“Initially, the body reported to have been sighted during the aerial surveillance was most probably among the four cadavers recovered earlier,” she said.
Read: PCG: 5 bodies from capsized MBCA Amejara retrieved off Sarangani
The Philippine Navy's Naval Forces Eastern Mindanao (NFEM) said the bodies were found approximately 63 nautical miles southwest of Balut Island in Sarangani, Davao Occidental.
Large pieces of debris believed to be the overhead roof cover of a motorbanca were also recovered by the Philippine Navy along with the cadavers.
Meanwhile, search and rescue operations are ongoing as authorities hold out hope for those still missing.
As of this writing, 11 individuals remain unaccounted for. Aside from the four recovered bodies, one crew member was rescued alive by the PCG on Jan. 20.
Cayabyab stressed that the PCG has not shifted to retrieval operations, as the mission remains focused on saving possible survivors.
“We will be continuing our rescue efforts. We have not lowered this into retrieval. We are still in high hopes that we will be able to find the individuals we are searching for,” she said.
The PCG assured families and relatives of the missing that all available resources are being used in the search and rescue mission. Close coordination with other government units and volunteer groups has also been established.
“All efforts are being pursued by the PCG leadership together with other agencies and volunteer organizations to find our missing countrymen. We will not get tired of locating them,” she said.
MBCA Amejara, a rented recreational boat carrying 16 individuals including 12 tourists, departed Sta. Ana Wharf in Davao City on January 17, bound for Governor Generoso, Davao Oriental.
The boat was expected to arrive on Jan. 19 but strong winds, currents, and high waves in the Davao Gulf caused it to capsize and eventually sink.

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