Chief cook rescued; 2 bodies recovered from sunken ship
The chief cook of the Norwegian cargo ship Bulk Jupiter that sank off southern Vietnam last Friday has been rescued, while two bodies have been found.
The ship’s manifest released by the Tuoi Tre News, a Vietnam News Agency, identified the ship’s chief cook as Angelito Capindo Rojas of Tubungan, Iloilo. The ill-fated ship has an all-Filipino crew of 19. Three of the crew are from Cebu. Bulk Jupiter was sailing from Malaysia to China.
The Cebuanos were identified as 3rd Officer Jerome Maquilang Dinoy of barangay Day-as, Cordova, Able Seaman 2 Renato Toribio II of Bantayan, Cebu and Ordinary Seaman 1 George Espliguera Jr. of Cebu City.
As the 3rd officer-in-charge of Bulk Jupiter, he is in charge of the ship’s operations. Dinoy has been on board Bulk Jupiter for over a year. Dinoy was scheduled to fly home later this month as his tour of duty would have ended when their ship reaches China.
Dinoy graduated Magna Cum Laude in 2011 from the University of Cebu (UC) Lapu-Lapu and Mandaue Campus. He was also Norweigan Shipsowner Association (NSA) scholar.
Vietnamese authorities have not yet identified the two bodies, believed to be among the crew of the Bulk Jupiter. The ship owner, Bergen-based Gearbulk, said the vessel was 155 nautical miles (287 kilometers) off Vietnam with a cargo of bauxite when it sent a distress signal that was picked up by the Japanese coast guard.
The Dept. Foreign Affairs said the 190-meter (623-foot) long, 56,000-ton ship sank off the coast of Vung Tau, which is about 96 kilometers (59 miles) from the southern commercial hub of Ho Chi Minh City.
Cebu Daily News was able to contact the family of Dinoy. His 15-year old brother Romulo who spoke to CDN in behalf of his family appealed to the government to do everything to find his 23-year-old brother.
“Please, I am asking for our Philippine government to do their best for the search and rescue. It’s been two nights that we haven’t slept well as we are so worried with our eldest brother,” Romulo told CDN.
The family, he said was informed about the sinking by the Magsaysay Maritime Corporation, the manning agency that hired his brother.
He added that they are getting updates both from the agency and the DFA.
The last time that Dinoy talked with his family was on December 31. He greeted them “Happy New Year” via Skype.
“We only had a short time talking during that time because they were preparing for their party,” Romulo told CDN.
The 23-year-old seaman is the primary bread winner of the family. He is financing the studies of his four siblings. His mother is a plain housewife while his father is a plumber.
DFA-7 Regional Director Anika Apalisok-Fernandez said, “We assist the families in claiming the benefits due them (if the employer is based abroad).”
“Our embassy where there is a labor attache will serve as the channel between the family and the employer,” she added.
The rescue operation was hampered Saturday by hazy weather and high waves.
Vessels from Liberia, Oman, Singapore and China were helping in the search, the DFA said./With AP and Inquirer reports