Pa, 2 kids rescued after boat capsizes in seas off Medellin

Rey Monato in his 30s of Sitio Lipata was rescued together with his children, a boy between 8 and 9 years old and a girl between 6 and 7 years old. Their boat capsized in between Kawit in mainland Medellin and Gibitngil Island. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/NIÑACHLEO DIANNE SAPLAD)

Two children and their father were rescued after their small motorboat capsized while bringing 30 containers of water  to their place in Sitio Lipata, Gibitngil Island in Medellin town northern Cebu at past 11 a.m. on Wednesday.

The crew of the motorboat named Chan-Chan owned by Eduardo Saplad, who were being used by Saplad’s relatives heading to Funtastic Island in Gibitngil Island, partly towed the smaller boat and rescued Rey Monato in his 30s of Sitio Lipata and his children, a boy between 8 and 9 years old and a girl between 6 and 7 years old, said Niñachleo Dianne Saplad, the niece of the boat’s owner who works for Toyota Cebu.

“Nakita namo ang amahan nga nag-wara-wara namo (We saw the father waving at us),” Saplad said.

She said there were other boats passing the area but they could not help because they were smaller boats.

She said that the Chan-Chan’s crew towed the boat with the father swimming while holding on to the boat while the children transferred to the bigger boat.

But, she said the rope tied to the capsized boat snapped leaving the capsized boat floating on its own.

It was then that a big fishing boat locally known as “Sapyawan” passed by and towed the capsized boat to Gibitngil.

Niñachleo said the three went to Kawit in mainland Medellin town to buy 30 containers (each container has 5 gallons) of water for their personal consumption and to be shared by neighbors in the island.

She said the boat was overloaded based on the number of containers.

She said they were also able to recover the containers but not the water inside.

“Nahurot og kayabo (All were spilled at sea),” she said.

Saplad said most of the people of Gibitngil fetched water from mainland because even if the island becomes a tourist destination but there’s no clear source of water.