Rescuers carry a fisherman, one of those reported missing at sea at the height of Typhoon Kabayan last week, on a stretcher after he and six of his companions were rescued off the waters of Currimao, Ilocos Norte on Saturday. PHOTO BY WILLIAM JUN GARCIA
SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union: Seven more fishermen were rescued by a commercial vessel after they were spotted drifting on a fishing boat off the seawaters of Currimao, Ilocos Norte at 1 pm on Saturday, the Philippine Navy (PN) reported.
They were brought to the Ilocos Training Regional Medical Center as soon as they arrived here.
Lieutenant Archie Adanza of the Naval Task Force-40 of the PN said the aerial search team of the Philippine Navy Islander (PNI) saw the fishermen waving 73 nautical miles west of Currimao.
“The PNI rescue team also saw a nearby commercial vessel MV Kavalaseas and asked the crew to rescue the fishermen,” Adanza said.
The survivors were Jose Ronnie Bagor 44, the captain of the fishing boat; Ronnie Boy Maratas, 23; Rowel Bagor, 38; Joey Barrientos, 41; Ricardo Cas, 23; Nickson Bagor, 18; and Edmar Espira, 26, all from Boli¬nao, Pangasinan. They are crew mem¬bers of FB Double J fishing boat.
Bagor said they survived for nine days drifting at sea by eating grass, small fishes and sugar which they took from their wrecked boat. They even drank their own urine.
“We also drank one cup of seawater to relieve our dry throat,” he said.
He added said they went fishing on September 29 not knowing the seas would turn stormy on October 2, the height of Typhoon Kabayan’s fury.