Boat capsizes off Zamboanga; 1 dead, 6 rescued

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — A motorboat capsized in the waters off the coast of this city yesterday, leaving one passenger dead.

The fatality was identified as Rodel Napalcruz.

Authorities said six other passengers were rescued.

Philippine Coast Guard station chief commander Christopher Domingo said the boat capsized at around 11 a.m. in the waters off Barangay Pasilmanta, an island east of this city.

The passengers of the boat, six of them surveying workers and a female teacher, came from Barangay Sangali. They were supposed to conduct a survey on a donated lot for the construction of a school building in Pasilmanta when the watercraft was hit by big waves.

Myrna Dapii said it was sunny when they left the city.

“However, after reaching the middle of the sea, the waters got rough and big waves battered the boat causing it to capsize,” she said in an interview over a local radio station.

The city government mobilized its city social welfare office to extend assistance to the family of the fatality.