Indonesian man adrift at sea for 23 days is rescued off Tawi-tawi

ZAMBOANGA CITY – A Filipino fisherman rescued an Indonesian man whose floating cottage had drifted far into the southern Philippine province of Tawi-tawi where he spent 23 days at sea, security officials said.

Army Captain Jo-ann Petinglay, a spokeswoman for the Western Mindanao Command, Erens Fiter was recovered last week by Idris Elsan and spent a night with his rescuer before being handed over to the police in the remote town of Simunul.

Fiter said he drifted out to the open sea after his cottage was cut from its anchor on March 19. “His cottage was casted away from shore and he further revealed that he had been trying to get help among passing sea crafts, however, it seemed that he was not able to catch attention,” Petinglay said, quoting a military report released on Thursday.

Petinglay said the Indonesian national was picked up on Wednesday in Simunul by the military’s Joint Task Force Tawi-tawi and the Marine Battalion Landing Team 9 brought Fiter to Bongao, the provincial capital town, and was examined by doctors before being interviewed by the Bureau of Immigration and the local police.

Brigadier General Custodio Parcon, commander of the Joint Task Force Tawi-tawi, said they have coordinated with the Indonesian Border Crossing Station, as well as the International Criminal Police Organization, for a background check on Fiter.

“We coordinated with the Interpol Tawi-tawi and the Indonesian Border Crossing Station for the background check of Fiter. The Indonesian Border Crossing Station personnel initially vouched for the subject’s nationality, but reserved the final confirmation when Indonesian authorities communicate their feedback. The subject is currently at the headquarters of the Joint Task Force Tawi-tawi while waiting for his final disposition,” Custodio said.

Officials did not say how Fiter survived his extraordinary ordeal. There was no immediate statement from the Indonesian embassy in the Philippines.