8 rescued from drifting boat off Tawi-Tawi

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — Navy personnel rescued eight persons on a motorboat that drifted off an island in Tawi-Tawi at dawn on Tuesday.

The Naval Task Group Tawi-Tawi conducted search and rescue operations after a concerned civilian alerted a monitoring station in Bongao about a missing motor launch, Naval Forces Western Mindanao chief Rear Adm. Toribio Adaci Jr. said.

The distressed vessel, M/L Rihana, was found off the coast of Sibutu Island.

The victims said they came from Turtle Islands and were bound for Bongao when the vessel developed engine trouble due to the rough seas.

The boat was towed to Bongao.