Missing sailors rescued
Source: Agencies |
January 24, 2011, Monday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
PHILIPPINE coast guard rescuers found five missing Americans yesterday aboard their sailboat reported lost en route from Guam. All those aboard are fine.
A search ship guided by a spotter plane located and boarded the 11-meter catamaran, or "The Pineapple," after it was spotted off the southern island of Dinagat, coast guard chief Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo said. The rescuers are escorting the vessel to its original destination on Cebu Island.
"They're all in fine health," Tamayo said of four men and a woman on board "The Pineapple" who included a Filipino-American in the United States Air Force. Their identities and hometowns have not been released.
"They apparently had engine trouble while in rough seas," Tamayo said, adding that he was awaiting other details.
US authorities have been informed about the discovery and were in touch with Philippine officials to provide help to the Americans, US Embassy spokeswoman Rebecca -Thompson said.
Relatives of the Americans contacted the US Coast Guard saying the catamaran left Guam on January 6, but had not reached its destination on Cebu Island. Guam, a US territory, is about 2,290 kilometers east of Cebu.
Lieutenant Justin Valentino, a search and rescue coordinator for the US Coast Guard in Guam, said that while the weather makes predictions difficult, the journey was supposed to take seven to 10 days.
The Philippines dispatched two aircraft to scour the waters and passing ships were alerted to be on the lookout, Tamayo said.
A coast guard plane spotted the catamaran on Saturday but could not identify the vessel due to poor visibility. The plane returned to the area after the weather cleared yesterday and confirmed it was the missing sailboat, Tamayo said.
A search ship guided by a spotter plane located and boarded the 11-meter catamaran, or "The Pineapple," after it was spotted off the southern island of Dinagat, coast guard chief Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo said. The rescuers are escorting the vessel to its original destination on Cebu Island.
"They're all in fine health," Tamayo said of four men and a woman on board "The Pineapple" who included a Filipino-American in the United States Air Force. Their identities and hometowns have not been released.
"They apparently had engine trouble while in rough seas," Tamayo said, adding that he was awaiting other details.
US authorities have been informed about the discovery and were in touch with Philippine officials to provide help to the Americans, US Embassy spokeswoman Rebecca -Thompson said.
Relatives of the Americans contacted the US Coast Guard saying the catamaran left Guam on January 6, but had not reached its destination on Cebu Island. Guam, a US territory, is about 2,290 kilometers east of Cebu.
Lieutenant Justin Valentino, a search and rescue coordinator for the US Coast Guard in Guam, said that while the weather makes predictions difficult, the journey was supposed to take seven to 10 days.
The Philippines dispatched two aircraft to scour the waters and passing ships were alerted to be on the lookout, Tamayo said.
A coast guard plane spotted the catamaran on Saturday but could not identify the vessel due to poor visibility. The plane returned to the area after the weather cleared yesterday and confirmed it was the missing sailboat, Tamayo said.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
