Five of 9 fishermen rescued
LINGAYEN– Five of the nine fishermen from Infanta believed to have been lost at sea during the height of Typhoon Emong on May 7 were found alive in the waters South China Sea last May 21.
The rescued fisher-men were identified as David Querobin, Israel Dumas, Ariel Samante, Wilson Etac and a certain Bajar.
Provincial Disaster and Coordinating Council (PDCC) Executive Col.Paterno Orduna announced the good news on Friday.
A passing Chinese vessel found the fishermen floating alive, according to Malou Edura, manager of the fishing vessel ‘Four Sisters’ used by the fishermen when they sailed to fish in the Scarborough Shoal on May 1 and stayed there until Emong lashed out.
The news was relayed to her by Shirley Uy of the Philippine Embassy in China.
“Ito ay isang biyaya ng Panginoon na natagpuan silang buhay,” Edura told The PUNCH.
Uy initially called the wife of Dumas who in turn provided Edura’s contact number.
The five fishermen are now confined in an undisclosed hospital and will be brought to the Philippine Embassy in China on May 25. They are scheduled to enplane back to the Philippines on the 26th.
Orduna said Governor Amado Espino, Jr. has already sent a letter to Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto P. Romulo seeking assistance for the immediate repatriation of the fishermen to the Philippines.
They will be fetched by a shuttle bus owned by the provincial government from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and brought home.
Emong claimed more than 30 lives, mostly fishermen who went out to sea and met the typhoon’s fury.
In another development, Edura said she received a report from another source about six other fishermen found somewhere in Nigeria.
Edura said there might be a chance, no matter how slim, that some of those could be the companions of the five who were found alive.
At presstime, Edura is looking for someone who could help coordinate with the proper authorities in Nigeria.
The four still missing fishermen were identified as Jomar Bajar, 30; Manuel Dumas, Jr., 40; Julius Aripin, 32; and a certain Jay-Jay, 50.#
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