Eight rescued from capsized boat in Samar

TACLOBAN CITY, Sept. 14  -- Eight persons were rescued after a motorboat capsized off the waters of Catbalogan City in Samar Thursday night.

The Philippine National Police Regional Office 8 (Eastern Visayas) here  on Friday said the motorboat capsized in Maqueda Bay after it was battered by big waves as Typhoon Ompong moves closer to Luzon Island.

The boat left the port of Cinco village in the city’s Sierra Island and headed for San Roque village in Buri Island.

Sea travel has not been suspended in Samar province since the area has not been placed under any typhoon warning signal.

On Thursday afternoon, the ill-fated boat arrived at the port loaded with teachers.

It left the port 6 p.m. on their way home. All the passengers and boat captain were from Cinco village.

“The passengers managed to swim to the near(est) islet, contacted another boat owner and they were rescued at about 10 p.m. by village officials of Cinco in Sierra Island,” PRO-8 information officer Senior Supt. Ma. Bella Rentuaya said. 

Among the survivors were boat owner Evelyn Duran and her husband Joseph, who served as the boat captain.

All passenggers suffered minor bruises, but no one was admitted to the hospital. (SQM/PNA)