5 more bodies in Visayas sea mishap recovered

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — The number of confirmed fatalities in the recent sea mishap in the Visayas climbed to seven yesterday after five more bodies of missing fishermen were recovered in the past two days. The bodies of Victor Calvo, Hermenio Romano and Julito Salvo were recovered on Sunday by divers of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in the wreckage of fishing vessel St. Peter the Fisherman II.

The remains of boat captain Frankie Chavez and Renante Forsuelo were recovered at the site yesterday.

Of the nine mising fishermen, Norberto Parlotzo and Rommel Engle were the first to be recovered in the waters off Bantayan Island in Cebu on Saturday.

Search and retrieval operations were ongoing for two more fishermen, identified as Julian Dungog and Manuel Auditor, both of Cadiz City, Negros Occidental, the PCG said.

The nine were among 31 crewmembers of the St. Peter the Fisherman II, which was battered by strong winds and waves as it was sailing between the islands of Gigantes in Iloilo and Tanguingui in Cebu on Sept. 24. The rest survived the tragedy.