Rescuers were searching for four people Sunday after a boat carrying more than a dozen scuba divers sank at a World Heritage-listed marine sanctuary in the Philippines, authorities said.
The Philippine Coast Guard said 28 people were rescued after “Dream Keeper” went down on Sunday morning in the pristine waters at Tubbataha Reef off the western province of Palawan.
Four Chinese nationals were among those on board the dive boat.
The owner of the vessel, a dive master and two guests were still missing, coast guard spokesman Rear Admiral Armando Balilo said.
A coast guard vessel and about 10 dive boats were searching the waters.
“It’s full of diving enthusiasts now and it’s on their bucket list.
It’s a dream dive,” said Balilo, referring to Tubbataha.
The 97,000-hectare (240,000-acre) Tubbataha Reef is one of the country’s largest marine protected areas and was listed as a World Heritage Site by the United Nations in 1993.
Despite its protected status, the marine sanctuary is under constant threat from illegal fishing and poaching, according to authorities.
The PCG immediately launched a search and rescue effort after receiving information at 6:49 a.m. from their Command Center in Palawan for the sunken yacht.
In a report by the Coast Guard, the yacht departed San Remegio, Cebu City on late afternoon last April 27 and arrived at Tubbataha Reef at around 10 PM on April 29.
PCG dispatched BRP Melchora to aid the divers in conducting SAR operations.
Coast Guard Sub-Station Tubbataha also sent other dive boats to the area to expand the search and rescue operations.
As of press time, the joint SAR team from different agencies, units, and organizations said that 28 people have been rescued, while four remain missing.
Meanwhile, PCG’s Balilo said in an interview four Chinese nationals were among the rescued individuals and all rescued passengers were brought to BRP Teresa Magbanua for physical checkup before transporting to Puerto Princesa City in Palawan.
Balilo also disclosed that the four missing persons were the yacht owner, the dive master, and two passengers.
Balilo shared that they were in contact with the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Western Command regarding the possible deployment of air assets to help find the missing people.
An investigation will be conducted regarding the sinking of the ship as the weather was good on Sunday morning.
Meanwhile, PCG said that 15 passengers survived the collision between two vessels in the waters off Corregidor Island last Friday.
PCG said on Sunday that at least three were confirmed dead, 15 survivors, and two missing.
Balilo said that an investigation into the collision was already ordered by PCG commandant Admiral Artemio Abu.
The chemical and oil tanker MT Petite Soeur, one of the involved vessels, had already filed a marine protest against Sierra Leone-flagged dredger MV Hong Hai 189.
The MV Hong Hai 189 came from Botolan, Zambales, while the MT Petite Soeur left the port of Mariveles, Bataan prior to the incident. With AFP