Boat with 58 aboard capsizes off Isabela; 4 INC members drown

A motorized banca carrying 58 people capsized in waters off Barangay Didadungan, Palanan, Isabela last Friday morning, resulting in the death of four passengers, local authorities reported yesterday.

Edmond Guzman, head of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) of Isabela, confirmed the retrieval on Saturday afternoon of the bodies of Dimasalang Valenzuela and Joel Tukpil, both of Cauayan town, Isabela; and one Mylene Silva of Bataan.

Yesterday, Senior Inspector Mariano Manalo, acting chief of police of Palanan, told The Manila Bulletin that the last one missing at sea from the ill-fated “M/V Gamil” that capsized around 11 a.m. of July 28 was also retrieved. Manalo identified him as Ronal Silva of Bataan.

He added that all the victims were members of the Society of Communicators and Networkers (SCAN) of the Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) and that eight others rescued were hospitalized.

Earlier, Guzman said the boat carrying mostly INC members came from Kulasi Port in Palanan and was proceeding to Dilasag, Aurora when it was struck by strong waves.

Manalo said it took approximately three hours before the first rescuers reached the site where M/V Gamil sank and that local fishermen assisted in plucking victims from the water.

A certain Fae Francisco, whose father was one of the passengers of the boat, told authorities that most of the passengers rescued had just attended their Church’s dedication activity in Palanan and were already bound home.

Guzman said local government units had also sent their rescue teams and provided relief goods, dry clothes, blankets, and medicines to the victims.