5 cadavers believed to be from MBCA Amejara found —PCG

Five cadavers believed to be from the ill-fated vessel MBCA Amejara have been found, according to Coast Guard Southeastern Mindanao Commander Commodore Philipps Soria on Saturday.

"Unconfirmed pa ang mga personalities, apat yung bangkay, ang nakita... Ngayon din pong umaga, around 11:30-11:45 a.m. nai-relay po ng ating mga piloto na meron po silang nakita na isa pang floating cadaver, body," Soria said in an interview with GMA Integrated News.

(The identities are still unconfirmed, four bodies were found... This morning, around 11:30-11:45 a.m., our pilots relayed that they saw another floating cadaver.)

“Na-inform na natin ang ating Philippine Navy vessel na kunin yung narecover na mga bangkay, then pupuntahan din natin yung isang bangkay na nakita ng ating PCJ Islander 251 para makuha din natin ngayong araw na ito,” added Soria. 

(We have already informed our Philippine Navy vessel and asked them to retrieve the recovered bodies, then we will also go to the other body found by the PCJ Islander 251, to retrieve it.)

Soria, meanwhile, said that the PCG remain hopeful that they will still find possible survivors.

“Tuloy po ang ating search and rescue operations… Hindi po tayo hihinto hangga’t di natin nakikita [ang lahat ng nawawala],” he added.

(Our search and rescue operations will continue. We will not stop as long until we haven’t seen the rest of the missing passengers.)

Recreational Dive Boat MBCA Amejara went missing while navigating the waters of the Davao Gulf on Monday, January 19.

On Thursday, PCG shared that three crew members and 12 passengers remain missing, as only one crew member was reported rescued. —Jiselle Anne C. Casucian with reports from Jandi Esteban/ VAL, GMA Integrated News