Singapore-flagged ship rescues Filipino fisherman off Davao Oriental —PCG

A Singapore-flagged bulk carrier last week rescued a Filipino fisherman whose boat had been drifting for days in the waters off Negros Oriental, the Philippine Coast Guard said.

In a statement on Sunday, the PCG said that it had deployed a boat to retrieve fisherman Julius Talaid from the MV Maxwell, and that Talaid was safely delivered to Veterans Wharf in Aparri, Cagayan on Sunday morning.

The PCG said that according to Talaid's account, his boat the FB Chene Mae departed General Santos City on August 12.

"Mr. Talaid narrated that on 23 August 2023, he was fishing using a small motorbanca near a fish aggregating device locally known as 'payaw' when his motorbanca was dragged away by a giant fish he caught, causing him to be drifted for five days," the PCG said.

The MV Maxwell, which had left Newcastle, Australia and was on its way to Xinsha, China, encountered Talaid's boat, which had been drifting for five days,  "in the vicinity waters 854.33 nautical miles east by south of Cape San Agustin, Governor Generoso, Davao Oriental" on Thursday, August 28, the PCG added.

The Coast Guard District North Eastern Luzon then sent a rescue team to retrieve Talaid from the bulk vessel, and reported his safe arrival in Aparri, Cagayan at 6:45 a.m. on Sunday. — BM, GMA Integrated News