Deaths from capsized Chinese vessel off Occ. Mindoro rises to 4 — PCG

MV Hong Hai capsizes in the waters off Barangay Malawaan, Rizal in Occidental Mindoro on Tuesday, April 15. (Photo from Philippine Coast Guard/Facebook)

MANILA, Philippines — Four people have been reported dead from the capsizing of a Chinese vessel in Occidental Mindoro, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said on Thursday.

MV Hong Hai, containing 25 crewmembers, capsized in the waters off Barangay Malawaan, Rizal in Occidental Mindoro on Tuesday afternoon.

The PCG has continued its search and rescue operations and environmental protection operations after the incident.

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“At around 8:15 AM today, SOU-STL [Special Operations Unit – Southern Tagalog] recovered another lifeless body from the accommodation area below the bridge of the capsized vessel. And at approximately 11:36 AM, another body was found at the cabin located at the main deck of the vessel,” the PCG said in a statement.

PCG noted that this brings the death toll to four, where three cadavers were found while the other one died at the hospital.

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“The total number of survivors remains at 14, while seven crew members are still missing,” the PCG added.

The PCG also said that the Marine Environmental Protection Enforcement Response Group of Southern Tagalog deployed additional 10 segments or 250 meters of oil spill boom in the affected area.

It added that a “surface assessment confirmed no visible oil sheen in the vicinity as of this report.”