10 foreigners, 4 crew of submerged motorboat off Palawan rescued: police
Authorities rescued four crew and and 10 passengers, all foreigners, of a motor boat that submerged off the waters of Palawan on Sunday morning.
Superintendent Imelda Tolentino, spokesperson of regional police office IV-B, said based on initial report the boat went island hopping when the incident occurred near Hidden Beach in Matinloc Island, El Nido around 10:15 am.
Tolentino said motorboat Tameboy dropped anchor due to rough seas.
“The anchor line was cut which made the boat drift near the rocky shore and eventually submerged,” she added.Tolentino identified the crew members as Jessie Ebajon, boat captain, 22, Jovily Ca?ete, 57, John Cris Carmaran, 15, Jue Cortez, 18, all residents of Brgy. Corong-corong, El Nido.
The passengers were Vanessa Hoffman Baretti, 31, Brazilian, Nathalia Hoffman Ramos, 35, Portuguese, Sarah Kathleen Sgroi, 26, Australian, Bryce Daniel Mc Carthy, 29, Australian, Christian Abhavaratna, 24, Australian, Gustavo Yuki Tibana, 25, Brazilian, Fabiana Saffiote De Oliveira, 35, Brazilian, Alessandra Jore, 30, Brazilian, Pedro Luiz Milhomem Paulo, 27, Brazilian and Aman Jun, 26, Australian.
Tolentino said passengers and crew of the motor boat managed to swim to the shore.
“All passengers and crews of the boat were rescued by the search and rescue team of the Philippine Coast Guard-El Nido,” she said.
The 10 passengers were turned over to the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council of El Nido and brought to their hotels while the four crew were sent home, said Tolentino. Robina Asido/DMS
