Mensasia.com

[(((james)))]

ZAMBOANGA CITY ­ -- Combined personnel of the Philippine Navy and the United States Joint Special Operations Task Force-Philippines (JSOTF-P) rescued 15 people aboard a drifting speedboat 3.9 nautical miles west of the Greater Sta. Cruz Island on Friday night.

Among those rescued were personnel of the Alliance for Mindanao Off-grid Renewable Energy (AMORE), Mirant Philippines, Peace and Equity Foundation, a municipal engineer, a television cameraman, two sea watchmen, two aides of Tongkil, Sulu mayor and the Federation Chairman of the Kahikukuk Renewable Energy and Community Development Association and four crewmembers of a speedboat.
AMORE personnel and guests were returning to this city after turning over a water system project powered by renewable energy in Kahikukuk Island, Tongkil, Sulu when the speedboat almost capsized near Malamawi Island, Isabela City, said Frencie Carreon, AMORE Information, Education and Communications Officer.


Carreon said the speedboat in which the AMORE personnel were on board was heading for Canas, off Maluso town in Basilan, when one of its engines bogged down, she said.

The speedboat operator decided to continue sailing with only one engine while his accompanying mechanic tried to repair the engine that bogged down, Carreon said.

Carreon said the speedboat ran out of gas while nearing the Greater Sta. Cruz Island, running on only one engine.

“They drifted for couple of hours before they were finally spotted by the navy personnel aboard patrol boat 320 at around 9:25 p.m. of Friday,” Carreon said.

The Navy patrol boat towed the speedboat to the port here.

The rescue operations were facilitated by Peace and Prosperity for the Philippines Foundation chair Armando de Rossi upon the urgent request of Carreon.

“There are people out there in the sea at pitch-dark night, floating without water and food, and running out of gas, and it is our duty to contribute our efforts to save them,” said De Rossi, who is a member of the Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary.

JSOTF-Philippines commander Col. James Linder acknowledged that the rescue operations were done by the Philippine Navy, and supported by the US Forces in “combined, shoulder-to-shoulder efforts in the true spirit of Balikatan.”

The rescuing Philippine Navy troops include boat captain Sergio Fernandez, alternate boat captain Gerry Buaga, boat engineer Mario Diocena, radiomen Felicisimo Binayug and Alberto Abio, electrician Warlito Ramos, assistant boat engineer Rodolfo Cuesta, enginemen Jownel Dolar and Alex Sevilla, all of the Naval Forces Western Mindanao (Navforwesmin) based in this city.

Carreon said the Navforwesmin in partnership with the US forces, immediately responded to the request for rescue.

“The naval command in Zamboanga immediately sent out its naval patrol craft at past 8 in the evening, after communications had gone down and there was no way of finding out the exact grid coordinates to determine their location, Carreon said.

“When the naval patrol craft arrived in Maluso, the crew saw the speedboat was a PNP-Bantay Dagat vessel, so they did not think that that would be the vessel in trouble. On the part of those in the speedboat, they thought the gray craft had local terrorists on board so they avoided it,” she added.

“The most important thing there is, they were saved. And everyone in AMORE is thankful to the Philippine Navy, Col. James Linder and the US forces, especially Maj. Luther Webster, and of course, Mr. de Rossi. The whole rescue operations sounded like an off-shoot of the Balikatan program,” Carreon stressed.
_________________

email: webmaster@asiajpg.com
ICQ# 232518247