THE missing fishing boat with seven crewmen who have been missing since Jan. 14 did not have clearance from the Coast Guard to sail towards Scarborough Shoal.

This was determined by Dasol Mayor Noel Nacar when he was coordinating Wednesday with concerned agencies for updates on the seven missing fishermen, two of whom are his constituents.

Nacar, in the presence of local newsmen, called representatives from the Philippine Maritime Group, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and Philippine Coast Guard to confirm the situation.

FB Narem 2, owned by one Christine Macaraeg from Barangay Hermosa, Dasol, reportedly left the coastal town on Jan. 6 and was expected to return on Jan. 14 but failed.

The Coast Guard learned about the missing fishermen only on Jan. 17 after Macaraeg reported it to them.

“Takas sila, sir. Wala sir, di sila nag log out, ” the Coast Guard personnel told Nacar.

The boat reportedly broke its side balancer locally known as katig.

According to the Coast guard, the fishing vessel’s last communication with Macaraeg was on Jan.13 and was located 60 nautical miles away from Dasol.

Two of FB Narem 2 crew, namely Larry Legaspi and Jefferson Bernabe are from Hermosa, Dasol. The other five crew are from Cato, Infanta, Pangasinan.

“Yun ang mahirap kaya ayaw lumapit kasi takas sila,” Nacar said, when asked why Macaraeg did not report immediately the incident to authorities.

Nacar said all fishing boats that sail to fish in Scarborough Shoal are required to report first to the Coast Guard office based in Infanta.

Search and rescue operations, including aerial inspection, by concerned authorities are ongoing. (PhilStar Wire Service/ECV)

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