PCG: Air, sea search underway for 4 missing fishermen off Occidental Mindoro

The Philippine Coast Guard on Wednesday said it is intensifying its air and sea search operations for four fishermen who were reported missing in the waters off Occidental Mindoro since February 9.

In a Facebook post, the Coast Guard District Southern Tagalog said it received a distress call that the fishermen failed to return from their fishing expedition.

The group left Lian, Batangas aboard Motorbanca MJ2 on February 8 at 4 p.m.

The PCG’s Coast Guard District Southern Tagalog said it is conducting extensive sea search operations and is also utilizing the Coast Guard Aviation Command for extensive aerial sweeps of the waters near Ambil and Lubang Islands, where the fishermen were last spotted.

They also engaged several nearby Coast Guard posts, residents, and other nearby vessels to help in the search, and issued radio broadcasts to nearby vessels to immediately report possible sightings of the missing boat.

“Our teams are working tirelessly across air, sea, and land to bring our fishermen home. The PCG is utilizing every available resource and maintaining close coordination with local maritime communities to ensure a wide surveillance network,” said Commodore Geronimo Tuvilla, Coast Guard District Southern Tagalog commander.  

The PCG urged residents and fisherfolk to report any relevant information to the nearest Coast Guard Station or through official PCG hotlines: 09977854915 (CGDSTL Operations) and 09569046652 (CGS Batangas). — JMA, GMA Integrated News