Japanese tanker crew rescue 3 Pinoy fishermen

THREE Filipino fishermen whose boat capsized in Indonesian waters on Monday were rescued yesterday by the crew of a Japanese tanker.

The fishermen were turned over to the custody of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) by the LNG Maleo at 8 a.m. yesterday.

Commander Angel Viliran of the PCG patrol boat BRP Ilocos Norte (SARV 3501) said the coast guard took custody of the three men 10 nautical miles southeast of Cape San Agustin in Davao Oriental.

The rescued fishermen were Genesis Omilero, 36; Fernando Ganot, 37, and Samuel Solito, 32. They are all from Davao Oriental.

The three men, who have been at sea for almost a week, were treated for several cuts and wounds they sustained from the aquatic creatures.

The BRP Ilocos Norte is en route to its home port in Sta. Ana wharf in Davao City, where the fishermen will be reunited with their families.

Viliran said the fishermen’s boat capsized on Aug. 1 after getting hit by a big wave while on a fishing venture, setting them adrift in Indonesian waters.

“They were less than 12 nautical miles from the border of the Philippines and Malaysia when they were picked up by the LNG Maleo. They were adrift for several days,” the PCG official said.

The fishermen, suffering from extreme hunger, were found clinging to the outrigger of their boat when they were rescued by the Japanese tanker.