Seventeen crew members of Singaporean cargo ship M/V Devon Bay were finally turned over by the China Coast Guard (CCG) to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) after the vessel sank off Agno Bay in Pangasinan, a ranking official disclosed on Monday, January. 26.

PCG ship BRP Teresa Magbanua (MRRV-9701) brought home 15 rescued survivors and two dead crew members as it docked at Port Area in Manila early Monday morning.

“The China Coast Guard initially said they were able to rescue 17 survivors at that time. However, during the transfer, it was revealed that there were 15 survivors and two of them later died,” PCG spokesperson Capt. Noemie Cayabyab said.

The crew members were handed over by the CCG to the PCG via a small boat transfer approximately 168 nautical miles west off Tambobong, Pangasinan on Sunday, Jan. 25.

The rescued Filipino crew members were transferred using the rigid-hull inflatable boats (RHIB) of both vessels due to big waves prevailing in the area, before BRP Teresa Magbanua sailed to Manila.

“The transfer was smooth. The mechanism we used was the Maritime Rescue Coordinating Center (MRCC). Fortunately, the PCG is responsible for this MRCC, and the counterpart on the China side is the Hong Kong Rescue Coordinating Center. Coordination during the transfer of the rescued crew and the two cadavers went well,” Cayabyab noted.

The PCG praised the heroism of the ship’s captain, Elimar Jucal, who did not abandon the ship and his crew despite the grave danger they all faced.

“Based on the statements of the crew, their captain did not leave the ship until all of them had disembarked. What the captain did only showed the character of a Filipino mariner,” Cayabyab said.

Meanwhile, search and rescue operations were ongoing for four more missing crew members of M/V Devon Bay. The CCG is also still involved in the search mission, Cayabyab confirmed.

“We are still searching for four more missing people and our vessel remains in the area. Our aerial surveillance is also ongoing,” she said.

Cayabyab said the PCG remains hopeful that the missing crew members are still alive.

“We have cases before that even one week or two weeks have passed and we still recover missing people alive. The PCG is hopeful that we will find the missing crew members alive,” she shared.

According to the PCG, an investigation was conducted to determine why the cargo ship sank.

Based on an inquiry on the survivors, Cayabyab said the vessel was loaded with 55,000 tons of nickel ore.

“Moisture in the cargo caused liquefaction which led to the shifting of weight to the left side of the ship. According to the agent’s report, the vessel was listing about 25 degrees to port before the distress alert was sent to us on January 23,” Cayabyab said.

“Weather had a significant effect because the current was strong and the waves were high. This is only an initial suspicion. We will be conducting an investigation,” she added.

M/V Devon Bay departed Gutalac, Zamboanga del Sur en route to Yangjiang, China on Jan. 22 when it suddenly tilted at approximately 25 degrees upon reaching 141 nautical miles west of Sabangan Point, Agno Bay.

It eventually capsized and sank the following day while carrying 21 Filipino crew members, 17 of whom were rescued by two passing CCG vessels with bow numbers “3306” and “2307”.

“Upon rescue, the survivors said they were given clothes, food, and even medical attention by the China Coast Guard. The only problem was the language barrier but all the needed attention and assistance was given to them,” Cayabyab shared.

The PCG said the families of the two crew members who died will be informed by the operator of the vessel. Their identities were withheld pending notice to their families.

“After a brief medical checkup on the survivors, we transferred the survivors to the Department of Migrant Workers and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration for proper disposition. The fatalities were also transferred to a designated funeral service by the shipping company,” Cayabyab said.