2 injured as fishing boat catches fire off Cuyo, Palawan

Five fishermen were rescued, including two who were injured, after their fishing vessel caught fire and sank in the vicinity waters off Cuyo, Palawan.

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said the blaze started early Monday at around 4 a.m. after the crew of FV Victor 89 heard a loud explosion coming from the auxiliary engine of the fiberglass fishing boat. The vessel subsequently sank at around 9:40 a.m.

The PCG, together with the  Cuyo Municipal Police Station, and several fishermen from Frabelle Fishing Corporation, assisted in the rescue operations for the victims.

The injured crew members, meanwhile, were rushed to the Cuyo District Hospital for medical assistance.

According to the victims, they departed from the Navotas Fish Port on March 2 for a fishing expedition in the Sulu Sea. They were anchored in Imalaguan Island when the incident occurred.

Authorities are still investigating the cause of the fire.

For its part, the PCG Marine Environmental Protection Force deployed a spill boom in the area to minimize the risk of an oil spill. — Sundy Locus/BM, GMA Integrated News