Chinese vessel rescues 4 RP fishermen marooned by 'Santi'
11/10/2009 | 09:55 AM
Four Filipino fishermen who had been floating aimlessly for several days in the South China Sea were rescued by a Chinese vessel, the Chinese Embassy in Manila said.
The fishermen were shipwrecked when they encountered bad weather in the high seas as Typhoon Santi (Mirinae) went on a straight path out of the country to the South China Sea on Nov. 1. The state weather bureau had earlier warned the public against any sea travel in Luzon at the height of Santi.
The fishermen held on to the floating debris of their vessel until the Chinese cargo ship Heng Sheng Men, which was returning to China from India, spotted them in the morning of Nov. 5.
It was not immediately known where the fishermen had come from or headed for at the time of the sea mishap.
"The Chinese crew prepared porridge for the fishermen since it was something better to start with for the people who hadn’t anything to eat for several days," the Chinese Embassy said.
After the necessary medical check ups on board the Heng Shen Men, the four fishermen were turned over to the Philippine Coast Guard, which dispatched a rescue vessel to meet with them.
Last month, two Filipino fishermen who drifted into the Pacific Ocean for almost two months were rescued by a Japanese vessel.
The Tokiwa Maru No. 18 was en route to Pohnpei in the Federated State of Micronesia on Oct. 14 when it spotted Toto Feliciano and Resty Dabon floating aimlessly at sea on their fishing boat.
The two fishermen from General Santos City in southern Philippines would be repatriated to the Philippines. - Joseph Holandes Ubalde, GMANews.TV
The fishermen were shipwrecked when they encountered bad weather in the high seas as Typhoon Santi (Mirinae) went on a straight path out of the country to the South China Sea on Nov. 1. The state weather bureau had earlier warned the public against any sea travel in Luzon at the height of Santi.
The fishermen held on to the floating debris of their vessel until the Chinese cargo ship Heng Sheng Men, which was returning to China from India, spotted them in the morning of Nov. 5.
It was not immediately known where the fishermen had come from or headed for at the time of the sea mishap.
"The Chinese crew prepared porridge for the fishermen since it was something better to start with for the people who hadn’t anything to eat for several days," the Chinese Embassy said.
After the necessary medical check ups on board the Heng Shen Men, the four fishermen were turned over to the Philippine Coast Guard, which dispatched a rescue vessel to meet with them.
Last month, two Filipino fishermen who drifted into the Pacific Ocean for almost two months were rescued by a Japanese vessel.
The Tokiwa Maru No. 18 was en route to Pohnpei in the Federated State of Micronesia on Oct. 14 when it spotted Toto Feliciano and Resty Dabon floating aimlessly at sea on their fishing boat.
The two fishermen from General Santos City in southern Philippines would be repatriated to the Philippines. - Joseph Holandes Ubalde, GMANews.TV
