The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported on October 11 that the foreign ship was en route to Australia from China when they spotted the fishermen about 75 nautical miles West of Agno, Pangasinan, clinging on to their capsized fishing boat Aqua Princess.The PCG said the fishing boat, with 17 crewmembers, went fishing last Oct. 2 at around 9 a.m but it was battered by big waves and eventually capsized at midnight on Oct. 7.
Before that Aqua Princess captain, Eddie Ariño, ordered his two crewmembers to use their service boat to go to the nearest Coast Guard Station to seek help. They arrived on Otc. 7 in Infanta, Pangsinan and reported the incident to the PCG sub-station.
Immediately, the PCG Northern Luzon district, the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the rescue team of Infanta launched search and rescue operation and alerted all transiting vessels near the area to assist the fishermen.
Around 12:30 p.m. on Oct, 11, MV Kumano Maru under Capt. Bernard Tonding spotted the 15 fishermen and staged a successful rescue operation.
The rescued fishermen were in Bagac, Bataan as of yesterday where they were fetched by Coast Guard Station Pangasinan to bring them back to Infanta.
