San Jose, Philippines—Two fishermen lost their lives on Friday when a violent squall capsized their motorized outrigger boat off the rugged coast of Mindoro.
The small vessel was returning from deep-water fishing grounds when dark storm clouds rolled in instantly. Fierce gale-force winds and churning swells battered the wooden hull before the crew could secure safety.
Surviving crew members reported that the heavy seas flipped the outrigger within seconds. The men were plunged into the freezing, dark water far from the nearest shoreline.
Philippine Coast Guard units launched search boats immediately after receiving emergency radio distress signals. Rescuers pulled two surviving crew members clinging to the floating debris.
Divers recovered the bodies of the two missing fishermen several hours later trapped near the wreckage. Coast guard medics administered emergency aid to the traumatized survivors at the municipal pier.
Local fishing cooperatives suspended all small-boat departures across the regional provincial waters. Marine safety inspectors launched a preliminary inquiry into the sudden meteorological shift.
Grieving relatives gathered at the coastal port facility to identify the recovered victims. Municipal welfare agencies offered immediate financial assistance and counseling services to the bereaved families.
The capsized hull was towed back to harbor under the supervision of maritime police. Patrol vessels continued monitoring coastal sea lanes as intermittent squalls persisted throughout the evening.
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