ILOILO City – Eight fishermen were safely rescued after their fishing boat overturned off the coast of Culasi, Antique while navigating rough seas brought about by bad weather, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported.
The incident occurred on the night of Aug. 4 when the Coast Guard Sub-Station (CGSS) Culasi received information that the fishing banca Taga Bukid had capsized about 5.7 nautical miles from Culasi.
Authorities said the report, relayed by Elmer Taroja at around 10:30 p.m., prompted the immediate deployment of a Coast Guard search and rescue team to the area.
After more than two hours of searching, rescuers located the distressed vessel at about 12:42 a.m. on Aug. 5. All eight fishermen were safely brought to shore, while the damaged banca was towed to Barangay Lipata in Culasi.
The Coast Guard said every person aboard was accounted for and none suffered injuries.
Based on the initial investigation, the fishing boat had sailed from Malay, Aklan and was heading to Barangay Lipata to take refuge from worsening weather.
During the voyage, the vessel encountered strong winds, heavy rains, and turbulent seas. The harsh conditions reportedly caused an exhaust pipe inside a storage compartment to break, allowing seawater to flood the boat until it lost stability and overturned.
The PCG said the operation demonstrated the readiness of Coast Guard personnel to respond to maritime emergencies, particularly during inclement weather.
It also reiterated its advisory for fishermen and other seafarers to monitor weather bulletins closely and postpone sea travel whenever conditions pose risks to life and property./PN
