Survivors of Cagayan sea mishap identified, 1 still missing
11/03/2009 | 01:33 AM
BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya – The Philippine National Police in Region 2 identified 30 of the 38 rescued fishermen who went fishing off the Cagayan-Ilocos Norte coast Monday.
The identified fishermen were: Bonifacio Agbayani; Eddie Lacar; Claro Rafanan; Joseph Dewilan; Jong Asuncion; Albert Dawdado; Gilbert Rafanan; Jinong Hasan; Joefrey Garma; Jayvee Nabasa; Carlo Cacut; Bobot Roma; Jomar Bumagat; Celso Dewilan; Perfecto Lagadon; Sadiri Aguinaldo; Eric Galzote; Lingbert Quinto; Antonio dela Rosa; Olen Bangalan; Anjon Yadao; Nixon Abuyan; Jorge Lacar; Arnold Agarpao; Totoy Agarpao; Dante Agarpao; Melchor Agarpao; Lito Agarpao and Aurelio Fabian Agarpao.
Police said a number of the fishermen suffered minor bruises but Aurelio sustained cuts on the butt and legs when big waves slammed him against ragged rocks.
The lone missing fisherman identified as 24-year-old Marvin Agarpao is still the subject of search and rescue efforts by composite teams from the Air Force, Navy, Coast Guard and the local Office of Civil Defense (OCD).
Survivors’ accounts revealed that Marvin failed to surface after he and his companions jumped overboard when rough waters started to batter their boat and that he may have been injured by the coral reef’s sharp edges.
Cagayan Valley Regional Police chief Chief Superintendent Roberto Damian said 17 fishing boats left Taggat lagoon in Claveria, Cagayan for a fishing expedition, heading for Pagudpud town in Ilocos Norte between 4:00 and 5:00 a.m. on Monday amid gale warnings issued by the OCD.
By 7:00 a.m., OCD said the worsening weather had forced the boats to seek shelter in different docks. Only 14 boats were able to get back to shore.
Three managed to go back to Claveria, one took refuge in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte and 10 in Mingay and Salaysay shores of Santa Praxedes, Cagayan.
According to Damian, some of the survivors braved the rough waters by swimming to the shores of Claveria and Sta. Praxedes.
Cagayan civil defense chief Bonifacio Cuarteros said that the fishermen had defied a gale warning and went out to sea before dawn.
"Yung mga mangingisda kasi, mahirap basta-basta pigilin lalo na kung makita nilang maganda ang panahon (It is hard to dissuade our fishermen from leaving shore, especially if they see the weather is fine)," Cuarteros said in an interview on dzBB radio.
"We earlier issued gale warning through radio," Cuarteros said, adding that the weather seemed fine at 4 a.m. Monday. But strong winds turned the waters rough between 7 and 9 a.m. – Floro Taguinod, GMANews.TV
The identified fishermen were: Bonifacio Agbayani; Eddie Lacar; Claro Rafanan; Joseph Dewilan; Jong Asuncion; Albert Dawdado; Gilbert Rafanan; Jinong Hasan; Joefrey Garma; Jayvee Nabasa; Carlo Cacut; Bobot Roma; Jomar Bumagat; Celso Dewilan; Perfecto Lagadon; Sadiri Aguinaldo; Eric Galzote; Lingbert Quinto; Antonio dela Rosa; Olen Bangalan; Anjon Yadao; Nixon Abuyan; Jorge Lacar; Arnold Agarpao; Totoy Agarpao; Dante Agarpao; Melchor Agarpao; Lito Agarpao and Aurelio Fabian Agarpao.
Police said a number of the fishermen suffered minor bruises but Aurelio sustained cuts on the butt and legs when big waves slammed him against ragged rocks.
The lone missing fisherman identified as 24-year-old Marvin Agarpao is still the subject of search and rescue efforts by composite teams from the Air Force, Navy, Coast Guard and the local Office of Civil Defense (OCD).
Survivors’ accounts revealed that Marvin failed to surface after he and his companions jumped overboard when rough waters started to batter their boat and that he may have been injured by the coral reef’s sharp edges.
Cagayan Valley Regional Police chief Chief Superintendent Roberto Damian said 17 fishing boats left Taggat lagoon in Claveria, Cagayan for a fishing expedition, heading for Pagudpud town in Ilocos Norte between 4:00 and 5:00 a.m. on Monday amid gale warnings issued by the OCD.
By 7:00 a.m., OCD said the worsening weather had forced the boats to seek shelter in different docks. Only 14 boats were able to get back to shore.
Three managed to go back to Claveria, one took refuge in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte and 10 in Mingay and Salaysay shores of Santa Praxedes, Cagayan.
According to Damian, some of the survivors braved the rough waters by swimming to the shores of Claveria and Sta. Praxedes.
Cagayan civil defense chief Bonifacio Cuarteros said that the fishermen had defied a gale warning and went out to sea before dawn.
"Yung mga mangingisda kasi, mahirap basta-basta pigilin lalo na kung makita nilang maganda ang panahon (It is hard to dissuade our fishermen from leaving shore, especially if they see the weather is fine)," Cuarteros said in an interview on dzBB radio.
"We earlier issued gale warning through radio," Cuarteros said, adding that the weather seemed fine at 4 a.m. Monday. But strong winds turned the waters rough between 7 and 9 a.m. – Floro Taguinod, GMANews.TV
