Coast Guard halts search for missing fishermen in Cavite sea collision

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and a local rescue team have officially stopped the search and rescue operations for the four missing fishermen in the collision of two vessels off Cavite last week.

 

The search was called off after the wrecked F/B Dan Israel was recovered from the sea Sunday, although the PCG vowed to continue its investigation into the incident. 

 

According to a “News To Go" report aired on Monday, authorities have asked local officials in nearby municipalities to monitor their areas for possible sightings of the missing fishermen.

 

On Sunday, four of the six fishermen who were found dead after the collision were buried at a mass grave in a public cemetery in Naic, Cavite. Those buried were Ronick Rosales, Ruben Ursal, Ronald Umpad and Benben Japson. 

Umpad's body was found on Sunday.

 

Rosalito Senia, chief of Cavite’s Environmental Protection and Operations Division, said the bodies had to be buried immediately because they were already bloated and might pose a threat to residents.

 

Lina Ursal, the sister of Ruben Ursal, one of the casualties, said she had hoped to bring her brother’s body home to be buried.

 

“Ayaw sana namin ng mass burial. Gusto sana naming iuwi 'yung bangkay pero wala kaming magagawa,” she said. 

 

The bodies of two other fishermen who died in the incident, Jojo Sumbilla and Vincent dela Cruz, have not been buried because they are not yet in an advanced state of decomposition. 

 

Relatives of the two fishermen have given word they will claim the bodies from the funeral parlor on Monday.

 

There were 23 fishermen on board F/B Dan Israel when it was reportedly rammed by a cargo ship between Cavite and Caballo Island in Bataan around 12:30 a.m. on March 13.

The fishermen were reportedly asleep when the boat was rammed.

 

Authorities are still searching for possible vessels which may have collided with the fishing boat. —Xianne Arcangel/KG, GMA News