Four Philippine Coast Guard Servicemembers Disappear on Rescue Mission

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) is currently assessing the damage caused by Typhoon Doksuri, and unfortunately, the toll may include the loss of four of their own servicemembers. These members were deployed to rescue the crew of a tugboat on the north shore of Luzon, but they have not returned. On Sunday, their aluminum launch was found floating miles away from their intended location.

The incident occurred on July 26 when the tugboat, named Iroquois, was pushed onto a shoal at the mouth of the Cagayan River by the strong winds and waves brought by Typhoon Doksuri. Due to the dire situation, the captain decided to abandon ship and requested assistance from the Philippine Coast Guard. Despite the severe conditions, the PCG decided to dispatch a four-man crew in an aluminum boat to aid in the rescue.

Tragically, while en route to the stranded tugboat, the PCG rescue boat capsized, leaving the crew members missing. Although an initial search was conducted the following day, it had to be called off due to the persistently rough weather conditions. The capsized boat was later spotted by the vessel Eagle Ferry about seven miles off Balatubat, Calaguin Island on Sunday. The Philippine Coast Guard has launched an extensive search operation, using both aerial and surface assets, in hopes of finding the missing crew.

In the meantime, on July 27, the tugboat Iroquois was able to refloat in strong currents and drifted into the Luzon Strait. However, it ran aground once again on the shores of Camiguin Island in Calayan, off the north shore of Luzon. The PCG has already provided assistance to the crew and delivered 1,000 gallons of diesel to the stranded vessel.

Overall, the Philippine Coast Guard is faced with the devastating consequences of Typhoon Doksuri, both in terms of the toll on their own servicemembers and the difficult rescue operations that they are currently engaged in.

Source .