9 rescued, 1 missing after motorbanca capsizes in waters off Olango Island

| PCG photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Rescuers from the Philippine Coast Guard in Central Visayas (PCG-7) continue to look for one of the 10 passengers of a motorbanca that capsized Monday night.

Lieutenant Junior Grade Erick Salcedo, PGC-7 spokesperson, said the passengers left Olango Island at 9 p.m. on Monday, November 8, for Lapu-Lapu City when their vessel was hit by big waves causing it to capsize while at the vicinity of the Hilutungan Channel, the deep water channel that separates Mactan Island and Olango Island.

Salcedo said eight of the 10 men, who were on board the motorbanca, were rescued at about 2 a.m. by personnel of a passing cargo vessel that was then traversing the Hilutungan Channel on its way to Tabilaran City in the neighboring Bohol province.

The two others decided to swim to ask for help.  One of them was rescued at the Punta Engaño port and was taken to the hospital by personnel of the Lapu-Lapu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office.

The search for the other swimmer continues as of this writing.

PCG is yet to verify reports that the second swimmer was found in Barangay San Vicente in Olango Island.

“Hindi pa talaga namin maestablish anong oras nag capsize ang motorbanca kasi papunta pa ng Tagbilaran yung mga rescued individuals. Pero sa aming estimate, baka ilang oras din sila nagpalutang-lutang,” Salcedo told CDN Digital.

Salcedo said they are yet to identify the 10 men while PCG personnel already towed the capsized motorbanca to the port in Punta Engaño.

Also, Salcedo said they are yet to identify and locate the captain and crew of the motor banca while they also try to determine if its travel was covered by necessary permits. / dcb