9 crewmen of capsized Chinese vessel rescued

Off Northern Samar waters

PAMBUJAN, NORTHERN SAMAR, Philippines — A composite team of the police and other agencies have rescued all nine crewmembers of the Chinese-flag cargo vessel, Jin Ming 16, which capsized off the coastal waters of Pambujan town in Northern Samar at about 12:30 p.m. on January 2.

Senior Superintendent Felix Diloy, director of the Northern Samar Police Provincial Office, told The Freeman that he recognized the determination of the provincial policemen, the Pambujan Police, the Coast Guard, the military, and the Red Cross that quickly responded to the distress call and rescued the crewmen.

The rescued nine foreign crewmen — one Taiwanese, six Chinese, and two Hong Kong nationals — were identified as Lai Yikui, Xilong Sun, XuWeilong, Sai Cheong Ho, Wu Ning Jin, Chin Hsin Chuan, Xu Xi, Ye Gui Jin, and Hans Ferbie.

After the rescue, Ferbie narrated to authorities the circumstances surrounding the incident. He said their cargo vessel sailed from China on December 12 last year and was bound for Chile to obtain some items.

Along the way however, their vessel got battered by huge waves, resulting in damage to its hull, drawing in water that flooded the compartments and caused the engine to conk out.

Ferbie said the vessel, which was tilting starboard and with half of its body already submerged, was slowly sinking while being drifted towards the municipal waters of Pambujan. They sent out a distress call, which was received by the Coast Guard past noon time Tuesday, setting off the rescue operations immediately.

By 7 p.m. that day, the rescue was successful and all nine crewmen were accommodated at the house of the town mayor, after undergoing medical checkup at the town's health center. (FREEMAN)