4 survivors of fishing boat mishap arrive in Zamboanga City

January 6, 2018

ZAMBOANGA CITY - Four survivors of a 23-crew of a fishing boat that capsized due to the onslaught of Tropical Storm “Vinta” arrived here Friday night from Turtle Islands, Tawi-Tawi.

They were Arnel Viana, 40, skipper of the Navotas-based fishing boat F/B Neri; Joseph Jarina, 30, chief mate; Roger Arceo, 49, chief engineer; and, Thomas Taboso, 47, crew.

Capt. Ronnie Gil Gavan, Coast Guard District Southwestern Mindanao commander, said the four crew were rescued on December 29, 2017 by Malaysian Navy near Billean Island, Malaysia.

Viana said their fishing boat capsized  on December 23, 2017 when they sought shelter at Mangsee Island, Balabac, Palawan.

Viana said there were only four a life raft drifting at sea when they woke up the next day.

“We saw nothing around us, except the sea and the sky,” he added.

Viana’s eyes turned reddish and he could not speak when asked where are the rest of the 19 crew.

He said they were forced to drink rain water and ate coconut and anything they could find drifting at sea to survive thinking “our families are waiting for us.”

He said they drifted at sea for six days until the Malaysian Navy rescued them on December 29, 2017 near Billean Island, Malaysia.

Gavan said the Malaysian Navy, led by Lieutenant Commander Jefrdin Bin Jamaluddin, turned them over to the Philippine authorities on January 3, in Turtle Islands, Tawi-Tawi. DMS