Rescue efforts on for 3 foreigners, 4 tour guides adrift off Boracay

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fishyy

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MANILA, Philippines - Seven people including three foreign divers have been stranded since Thursday morning after their motorized-boat encountered engine trouble off Antique near Boracay Island, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said.

In a telephone interview with GMANews.TV, PCG information officer Lt. Sr. Grade Gary Dale Gimotea said, rescue teams dispatched to rescue the group have yet to communicate information on whether the rescue had been successful.

Commodore William Melad said the group includes four Filipino tour guides and three Spanish divers.

Melad, district commander of PCG Iloilo, said authorities received the report on the incident around 6:30 a.m. Melad said the passengers used their cellular phones to ask the PCG for assistance.

The victims' boat, MB Maruja, encountered engine trouble and drifted southeast of Sibay Island in Caluyan, Antique. Melad said the group had just come from diving sites in Caluyan and was on the way back to Boracay when the incident occurred.

After receiving the report, Gimotea said the PCG dispatched search-and-rescue vessels to give assistance. He noted, however, that the group had since drifted from their reported position, which made it difficult for rescuers to find them.

«õung mga tao natin sa may area ay nagpadala ng motor banca at speed boat for the rescue operation. But as of 2 p.m. lumayo sila dun sa sighted area dahil sa alon. Pero walang patay (We deployed motorized banca and a speed boat for the rescue operations. But as of 2 p.m. they had a difficult time reaching the area because of strong waves. But no fatalities were reported)," Gimotea said.

ªét was estimated that ang MB Maruja drifted 6.5 nautical miles southeast of Caluya Island or about 25 Nautical miles from Boracay," he added. - Aie Balagtas See, GMANews.TV


Hope they are ok!
Anyone has any update on this?
 
They've been rescued. The boat drifted for 20 hours or so and was towed to safety by a fishing vessel. This was the boat, Maruha, that I was diving off of in Oct. Apparently they broke the drive or prop shaft. A little extra added excitment on your dive vacation....
 
That is the kind of excitement that makes me have to buy new pants afterwards!!! I don't need that sort of trauma. After reading this I will spend the money for the second engine on the new boat. This happened in our backyard. They could have drifted to Coron! I need to make sure I get handheld backup GPS's as well. Lesson learned here for me.
 
long wave is best .

morsecode


hmmmmm....

sige txt na lang :D
 
I got news this morning that the paying customers got off in Coron and flew back to Caticlan. Carlos and crew (including divemaster) headed home on the boat.
It'll be interesting to hear the story from Carlos. Imagine drifting with the bow downwind and seeing 15 foot, white capping swells coming up on your stern. This is when a strong crew comes in handy. The bilge pump is one hp....human power. A guy stands and uses a plunger type pump.
"The captain wired in he had water coming in, and the good ship and crew was in peril......"
Thank God they made it.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

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