(Eagle News)–At least seven fishermen are missing after a fishing boat and a cargo vessel collided off Palawan, the Philippine Coast Guard said.
According to the PCG, the fishermen were part of the 20 fishermen on board the Philippine-flagged FB Jot-18, which collided against MV Happy Hiro, a vessel sailing under the Marshall Islands flag, off Maracanao Island.
The remaining 13 fishermen were rescued and transferred to MV Happy Hiro, which ferried them to waters off Lipata, Culasi in Antique.
Upon clearance from the Bureau of Quarantine, the PCG said its vessel, BRP Panglao, ferried off the rescued fishermen to the shoreline.
According to MV Happy Hiro’s medical officer, Mckinley Amante, the PCG said, 12 of the 13 rescued had scratches while the 13th had a wound on his head.
He was given first-aid treatment and is now in stable condition.
The PCG has so far not disclosed any details about how the collision between the two vessels took place.
It said it will continue its rescue operations for the missing fishermen.