BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines – A Chinese crewmember of a Central America-flagged cargo ship drowned while 13 others were rescued after the vessel sank off Cagayan before daybreak yesterday.
Reports identified the fatality as Lin Guang-Xiao, whose body was recovered by authorities along the coastline of Barangay Punta in Aparri town a few hours after his vessel, MV Chang-16, was battered by strong waves, causing it to overturn.
Capt. Jorge Ursabia, Coast Guard-Northern Luzon district commander, said that search and rescue operations were still ongoing for another crewmember, reportedly also a Chinese, who went missing after the vessel sank.
Reports said 13 other Chinese crewmen of the ill-fated, Belize-flagged vessel were rescued off Aparri.
“The ship was transporting black sand from the (Aparri) port to China when it was hit by huge waves along the mouth of the Cagayan River,” Ursabia said. – With Raymund Catindig, Helen Flores, Cecille Suerte Felipe