Henry Balmores and his fellow fishermen from Pangasinan in the Philippines knew how to brave the waves of the South China Sea. But they were helpless against a behemoth that dwarfed anything else in the ocean.
Just after midnight on June 18, Balmores and seven others from Bolinao, Pangasinan ventured out to sea on board the fishing banca “Axl John.” They sailed all day and night before reaching the waters near Sto. Domingo, Ilocos Sur.
At around 11:45 p.m. on June 19, they encountered big waves. Sea water began to fill the banca, and the boat’s engine died, prompting the fishermen to tie their boat to a payaw, a fish aggregating device made of bamboo poles.
They were stranded for hours beside the payaw, located 78 nautical miles northwest of Bolinao, the National Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Council said in its June 26 update.
On June 20, they saw an unidentified vessel headed north.
In an interview on GMA News’ 24 Oras, Balmores recalled that they felt hopeful when they saw the large vessel. But the steel behemoth did not slow down, and instead rammed and broke their banca in two.
The group was separated into two groups: Herman Balmores, Edimio Balmores, Celino Damian and Christopher Carbonell in one; and Fred Celino, Arnold Garcia, Domy de los Santos, and Amanta Resonable in the other.
The fishermen clung to what was left of the Axl John, tying objects together to stay afloat.
“Pinatong-patong namin. Tinali-tali. Doon kami natulog sa taas ng container. Mayroon lang (nakapatong) para hindi masyadong mabasa,” said Balmores.
They shared rice and four pieces of fish, which were quickly consumed.
Balmores’ group lost visual contact with the other group in the evening of June 22. The fishermen struggled to survive, drinking rainwater and eating Styrofoam. Hinihintay ko na lang mamatay, said Balmores.
“Styrofoam, panlagay ng isda. Kinakain mo, ganito kaliit. Parang chicharon. Mag-(salo) ka ng tubig, dila ka na lang sa kamay mo para hindi matuyo (ang lalamunan),” he added, pointing to his throat.
Around noon of June 23, two fishermen from Magsingal, Ilocos Sur rescued Balmores and his companions. Weak and injured, they were brought to the Magsingal District Hospital, then transferred to Gabriela Silang Hospital in Vigan City. Damian is still in the hospital, while the two Balmores fishermen were brought home to Bolinao by relatives. However, Carbonell died at the hospital in Vigan City.
“Namimiss ko siya. Kasi mabait po siya na tao,” said Carbonell’s wife Jennifer in an interview on State of the Nation on June 25. According to the report, she had warned him on June 17 not to go out in the storm, but he insisted because they did not have enough money.
Philippine authorities continue to search for the four fishermen who remain missing.
“There’s no gale warning right now, but if you look out, probably five miles away from the shore, maalon talaga. We will not stop until efforts are made to search for the four,” said PCG District Commander Capt. Leopoldo Laroya in a report on Saksi on June 26.
According to Philippine Coast Guard spokesman Commander Armando Balilo, Hong Kong-registered cargo vassel “M/V Peach Mountain” could be behind the ramming incident.
GMA Network Inc