US warship rescues 5 Filipino fishermen in distress

A United States Navy warship rescued five Filipino fishermen Wednesday after helicopter pilots spotted them waving a bamboo torch in the middle of the night while standing on the roof of their sinking boat, US Embassy officials said.

A Navy helicopter spotted the fishermen in international waters just after midnight, hours after the fishing boat started taking in water, said Tina Malone, the US Embassy spokesperson in Manila.

The guided-missile destroyer USS McCampbell, which was closest to the scene, launched two boats to rescue them.

The carrier is part of the USS George Washington Carrier Strike Group, which entered the South China Sea (West Philippine Sea) several days ago in a show of American power in waters where China has been squabbling with neighbors such as Vietnam and the Philippines over who has the control of a string of tiny islands.

Malone said the fishermen were given a checkup and were found to be in good health. They will be brought ashore when the USS McCampbell arrives in Manila on Wednesday as part of a five-day goodwill visit.

The United States says it wants to keep the strategic waters open to international navigation and has urged China and other claimants to settle territorial disputes peacefully. Washington also has a defense treaty with the Philippines and has been helping to modernize the poorly-equipped Philippine Navy to defend Manila’s claims.

PCG spokesperson Commander Armand Balilo identified the fishermen as Richard Ralia, 27; Noel Aque, 22; Jimmy Aque, 34; Reynato Leorin, 33; and Erick Abaño, 26, all residents of Barangay (village) Cawak, Subic, Zambales.

Balilo said the fishermen were discovered by one of the helicopter pilots embarked on the USS McCampbell during a routine night-time patrol at about midnight.

He said the fishermen went on a fishing trip last Friday. The fishing boat reportedly started taking on water early Wednesday, and it was almost completely submerged by the time it was found by the US Navy.

Ralia, one of the fishermen, said they were  spotted by US pilots standing on the roof of their boats holding an improvised flare.

“Lumubog po ang bangka namin, mga 11:00 (ng gabi). Mga 12:00 po, dumaan ang helicopter nila. Gumawa po kami ng paraan para mapansin nila kami. Naglagay po kami ng tela sa may kawayan tapos binasa namin ng gaas tapos sinindihan namin (Our boat started sinking about 11 at night. Around midnight, a helicopter passed over us. We figured out a way to get their attention: We put a piece of cloth at the end of a bamboo pole, dipped it in gas and lit it),” he added.

The USS George Washington is a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier that was first launched in July 1990 and was commissioned in July 1992.

One of the largest warships in the world, the carrier engages in maritime security operations, supports ground forces and provides humanitarian assistance and disaster response.

According to the US Navy website, its length spans a total of 1,092 feet (332.9 meters) while its flight deck width measures 257 feet (78.3 meters). The warship can accommodate 85 planes and carry 5,680 crew on board.

Before its current homeport in Yokosuka, Japan, the USS George Washington was deployed for operations in the Mediterranean, Arabian Gulf and the Carribean. AP, Tarra Quismundo, Tina G. Santos, Lawrence de Guzman