MANILA, Philippines—The coast guard has rescued seven South Korean crewmen from a tugboat being battered by rough seas off the northwestern Philippines.
The skipper of the Kosco 202, Jeon Hong-Jong, said he radioed for help before dawn Thursday after a barge his boat was towing sunk and the boat’s engine room started filling with water near Zambales province.
He said his boat was being tossed in the water for several hours by 5- to 6-meter (16- to 20-foot) waves whipped up by Typhoon Gener (international name: Saola) before a coast guard vessel spotted them. They transferred by rubber boat to the ship, which brought them to Subic Bay Freeport about 20 kilometers (18 miles) away.
He said they were heading to Indonesia from Shanghai, China, to deliver the barge.