Filipino crew asleep when Chinese vessel hit their boat —captain's kin

The crew of the Filipino vessel that sank after being hit by a Chinese fishing vessel in Reed Bank were sleeping when the incident happened over the weekend, according to a relative of the Filipino boat's captain on Thursday.

Interviewed on Unang Balita, Jimwel Tañedo said the 22 crew members of the boat did not have any idea if they were initially warned by the Chinese or if the collision was intentional as they were asleep when it happened on Sunday, June 9.

"Ayon po sa kuwento ng pinsan ko na kapitan ng bangka, naka-anchor po sila doon sa area na pinagbanggaan, nagulat na lang po sila dahil hatinggabi po, may ano, wasak na 'yun pala nabangga na sila ng barko ng China," Tañedo said.

"Biglaan na po 'yun dahil hatinggabi, masarap ang tulog nila, wala na po silang naramdaman kung nag-warning 'yung MS Vessel. Basta naano na lang po, nadisgrasya na po sila," he added.

Salvage operations were ongoing to retrieve the boat, he said. "Kasi kahapon ng umaga pinapalutang na po nila... nung hapon po hindi na po ako naka-monitor kaya di ko po alam kung napalutang na nila." 

According to AFP public affairs chief Colonel Noel Detoyato, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) will probe the incident while the Philippine Navy will assist in the salvage operations for the boat.

"DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs) for the diplomatic actions and PCG for the investigation, while our Navy will just support up to the recovery efforts of the ill-fated fishing vessel," Detoyato told GMA News Online.

The Reed Bank or Recto Bank, which is near Palawan, is within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone.

Armed Forces of the Philippines Western Command spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Stephen Penetrante earlier said the incident may be intentional as the boat was not moving. He added that if it's accidental, the Chinese crew should have stopped and assisted the Filipinos.

Tañedo said it took almost six hours before the Filipinos were rescued by a crew of Vietnamese fishing vessel that happened to be in the area.

"Halos anim na oras po. Kasi alas-dose po sila nabangga, pagdating ng umaga, nung may nakita silang barko ng Vietnam, doon po sila humingi ng tulong sa barko ng Vietnam," he said.

Malacañang has called for an investigation into the incident and the imposition of sanctions against the Chinese crew for abandoning the Filipino fishermen.

Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo deemed the act of the Chinese men as "uncivilized." —Anna Felicia Bajo/KBK, GMA News