Filipinos missing in Indian Ocean presumed dead

The five Filipino sailors among the 39 crew members of a Chinese fishing vessel that went missing in the Indian Ocean last week are presumed to have died in the accident, the Philippine Coast Guard said.

PCG spokesperson Rear Adm. Armand Balilo said in a statement on Wednesday that multinational search and rescuers “did not find any signs of survivors” after searching an area covering 64,000 square kilometers.

The Chinese transport ministry said it was thus decided to presume dead five Filipinos, 17 Chinese, and 17 Indonesians on board the vessel. —FRANCES MANGOSING