Report: 51 persons aboard 6 fishing vessels stranded off Bataan, Cagayan

At least 51 people aboard six fishing vessels were stranded off Bataan and Cagayan Valley provinces early Monday amid the threat of supertyphoon “Juan" (international name: Megi) in those areas. Radio dzBB’s Manny Vargas cited initial reports reaching the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) headquarters in Manila that the fishing vessels went out to sea despite warnings against the typhoon. The reports indicated that 18 persons in Bataan in Central Luzon and 33 others in Cagayan Valley in Northern Luzon were stranded. The Coast Guard and the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration had warned fishermen against going out to sea due to the threat of big waves from “Juan." Meanwhile, the Coast Guard said it has 22 Special Operations Group teams, nine of which are in Northern Luzon. Four PCG vessels and auxiliary ships are also on alert, it added. –VVP, GMANews.TV