Sunday, November 6, 2011

Foreign vessel sank off Ilocos Norte

A foreign vessel sank off Ilocos Norte last Friday, according to the
Philippine Coast Guards.

Lt. Dennis Rapat, head of the PCG in Ilocos Norte, said the PCG
received reports from Hongkong Rescue Coordinating Center last Friday
saying that MV Oceanic Union was abandoned by its crew when it
developed mechanical trouble in mid sea.

The whereabouts of the vessel's crew remained unknown, he said.

Rapat said that upon receiving the report, he ordered a search and
rescue operations in the waters off Ilocos Norte since Friday night.

He said the distressed foreign vessel was spotted about 170 nautical
miles from Cape Bojedor.

Based on the report received by PCG, the captain of MV Oceanic Union
ordered his crewmen to abandon ship when he saw the vessel was already
sinking after it developed mechanical trouble.

The report from Hongkong did not, however, state the number of the
crewmen of the ship nor the cargo it was carrying.

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