FBCA Prince
CALATAGAN, Batangas – Thirty-two persons were rescued by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) from a fishing banca that sunk in the sea of Barangay Punta here on Thursday afternoon, March 19.
Coast Guard Sub-Station (CGSS) Balayan said FBCA Prince encountered distress due to water ingress after being battered by large swells while enroute to this town from Barangay Navotas, Balayan, Batangas with vacationists on board.
PCG units from Balayan and Calatagan launched search and rescue (SAR) operations and brought 14 individuals to Barangay Baha, Calatagan rescued by a fishing boat.
The PCG rescue team from Calatagan recovered 18 individuals in the sea of Barangay Baha and taken to CGSS Balayan.
All rescued individuals – an infant, 20 children, and 11 adults – were assessed by the Balayan Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office and declared safe.
The distressed boat was safely towed to port.
CGSS Balayan issued an Enforcement Inspection Apprehension Report to the operator of the fishing boat for unauthorized use of the vessel for recreational activity, leaving port without PCG clearance, master’s failure to accomplish the Master’s Declaration of Safe Departure, and connivance between the ship owner and the master.