US warship rescues stranded Filipino fishermen in Mindanao

Two Filipino fishermen stranded along waters off Mindanao were rescued by a United States military warship. While transiting Mindanao last February 13, USS Reuben James (FFG 57) assisted the fishermen in distress after the engine of their outrigger canoe broke down, it was reported on Thursday. Besides providing temporary repairs to the engine, the US ship’s crew also gave fuel, water, and food to aid the fishermen’s return to the port of San Francisco in Mindanao. USS Reuben James, homeported at Naval Station Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, also coordinated with a Philippine Coast Guard patrol boat that helped the fishermen find their way to the same dock. The fishermen left the port of San Francisco the previous day before being stranded 26 miles off the coast. “Reuben James exercised the ancient law of the mariner: our obligation to render aid to those in peril on the sea," said Commanding Officer Cmdr. David E. Miller in a statement. “A surprise opportunity like this one to assist others at sea is both timeless and rewarding." - GMANews.TV