11 of 23 missing La Union fishermen found in Ilocos Sur

By Yolanda Sotelo-Fuertes
Northern Luzon Bureau
First Posted 12:08:00 06/25/2008


DAGUPAN CITY -- Eleven of the 23 fishermen (not 21 as earlier reported) from Agoo, La Union, who had been reported to be missing at sea at the height of Typhoon “Frank” on Sunday, were rescued on Tuesday in Ilocos Sur, police said Wednesday.

Senior Superintendent Noli Taliño, La Union police director, identified the rescued fishermen as Deolito Sarmiento, Benito Sarmiento, Mark Celeste, Vicente Ofiana, Carlos Ofiana, Rodel Bacalan, Edmundo Azuelo, Roland Lagliba, Jose Niñalga, Noel Rulloda, and Carlos Soriano.

Taliño said the search and rescue team received reports that two boats where the 11 fishermen were riding in were carried by strong winds near the coastline of Sta. Cruz, Ilocos Sur. One of the boats sank in the waters off that town, police said.

Taliño said the fishermen swam to the shore of Sta. Cruz on Tuesday morning when their boat started to sink.

Residents and policemen in the area helped the fishermen and reported their presence to the La Union police.

The rescued fishermen were taken to a hospital in Sta. Lucia, Ilocos Sur, and were later transferred to the La Union Medical Center in Agoo aboard a Philippine Air Force helicopter.

He said the fishermen’s families reported to the La Union police that their relatives failed to return home after they left Agoo at 4 a.m. Sunday to go fishing at the Lingayen Gulf.

The fishermen, residents of the villages of San Nicolas West and Balwarte in Agoo, were on four boats.

Taliño said the search for the remaining 12 fishermen would continue.