Search launched for missing crew of sunken ship off Ilocos

Local police and Coast Guard officials on Saturday launched an operation to rescue the crew of a vessel believed to have sunk off Ilocos Norte in northern Philippines. Philippine National Police spokesman Chief Superintendent Agrimero Cruz Jr said the Hong Kong Maritime Rescue Coordinating Center had received a distress call from MV Oceanic Union which was sailing off Cape Bojeador in Burgos, Ilocos Norte. According to the distress call, the ship's captain had already ordered his crew to abandon ship. The HKMRCC relayed the distress signal via facsimile to Coast Guard officials stationed in Currimao, Ilocos Norte. "Fax msg from Hong Kong Maritime Rescue Coordinating Center re MV Oceanic Union/3egc6 in distress and the Captain of said vessel declared abandon ship at Latitude 19 degrees 59.7 mins North Longitude 118 degrees 49.8 mins East or at vic 107 West Nortwest [sic] (WNW) Cape Bojeador, Burgos, Ilocos Norte," read the fax message. In turn, the local Coast Guard sought the help of the local police force of Laoag, Pasaquin, and Burgos - all in Ilocos Norte - in securing ambulances to be used once the crewmen are rescue. As of this posting, the Coast Guard and the police are trying to locate the missing crew through a helicopter-led search. — ELR, GMA News