Two Japanese and five Indonesian fishermen were rescued by a Philippine fishing company in international waters and brought to the Philippine Coast Guard after their vessel sank last Monday.

PO3 Jho-an Taban, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) General Santos City substation commander, said the foreign fishermen were turned to them by JJV Fishing Company around 5 pm on Wednesday.

“Yesterday they were brought here by JJV Fishing Company. They underwent medical (examination) until Wednesday night and they were turned over to the immigration this (Thursday) morning,” he said.

Taban said the seven fishermen, including the two Japanese national identified as Hidekazu Minei and Tamashiro Masahiko, were on their way to Japan from Papua New Guinea while on board Gyotoku Maru-1 vessel when they collided with a vessel of JJV Fishing Company.

“They (foreign fishermen) are all safe because they were rescued 23 minutes before their vessel sank,” he said.

Taban said the foreign fishermen were rescued around 3:14 pm last Monday. Robina Asido/DMS