MASBATE CITY, Feb. 11 (PIA)—Authorities expressed relief Wednesday after 102 local tourists were rescued from an uninhabited island where they were marooned by huge waves and strong winds, saying the mission was made on short notice.
Lt. Junior Grade Frances Mae Pendon, public affairs director of Naval Forces Southern Luzon based in Legazpi City, said a navy gunboat succeeded in pulling them Tuesday out of Sombrero Island, an islet off Burias Island in Masbate.
Pendon said two rubber boats landed in the island and ferried the tourists in groups of eight to Patrol Gun Boat 370.
The gunboat brought them to San Pascual, a mainland town on Burias Island in Masbate which has jurisdiction over Sombrero Island.
Pendon said they received a report from the San Pascual Municipal Tourism Office that the 100 tourists and their pair of guides could not leave the island since Sunday when sea travel was prohibited with gale warning then hoisted by the government weather bureau over the seaboard of Southern Luzon.
“The tourists were on the last day of their three-day tour in Sombrero Island when they were prohibited from leaving due to strong winds and very rough sea conditions,” Lt. Edwin M. Nuestro Jr., the gunboat commander, told the Philippine Information Agency.
“They were forced to stay in the island for an additional day as the weather condition worsened,” Nuestro said.
“As soon as a distress call from the stranded tourists reached the attention of Naval Forces Southern Luzon, a rescue mission was planned and launched,” the Armed Forces Southern Luzon Command said.
By 9 p.m. of that Tuesday, the tourists were returned to the comfort of inns in San Pascual and the navy rescuers were back to their headquarters.
Shortly after being rescued, one of the tourists from Manila, Skye Yco, posted on Facebook: “I'm happier because I have overcome the sadness I've known and wiser because I have learned from my life.”
In a statement, Southern Luzon Command Chief Lt. Gen. Ricardo Visaya commended the Naval Forces Southern Luzon, saying the successful rescue operations demonstrated how “dependable and reliable (the) Navy (is) in securing the seas” in Southern Luzon. (E. Delgado/PIA5-Masbate)
- See more at: http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/821455155224/navy-reports-102-rescued-from-remote-island-#sthash.oGafhdJs.dpuf
Lt. Junior Grade Frances Mae Pendon, public affairs director of Naval Forces Southern Luzon based in Legazpi City, said a navy gunboat succeeded in pulling them Tuesday out of Sombrero Island, an islet off Burias Island in Masbate.
Pendon said two rubber boats landed in the island and ferried the tourists in groups of eight to Patrol Gun Boat 370.
The gunboat brought them to San Pascual, a mainland town on Burias Island in Masbate which has jurisdiction over Sombrero Island.
Pendon said they received a report from the San Pascual Municipal Tourism Office that the 100 tourists and their pair of guides could not leave the island since Sunday when sea travel was prohibited with gale warning then hoisted by the government weather bureau over the seaboard of Southern Luzon.
“The tourists were on the last day of their three-day tour in Sombrero Island when they were prohibited from leaving due to strong winds and very rough sea conditions,” Lt. Edwin M. Nuestro Jr., the gunboat commander, told the Philippine Information Agency.
“They were forced to stay in the island for an additional day as the weather condition worsened,” Nuestro said.
“As soon as a distress call from the stranded tourists reached the attention of Naval Forces Southern Luzon, a rescue mission was planned and launched,” the Armed Forces Southern Luzon Command said.
By 9 p.m. of that Tuesday, the tourists were returned to the comfort of inns in San Pascual and the navy rescuers were back to their headquarters.
Shortly after being rescued, one of the tourists from Manila, Skye Yco, posted on Facebook: “I'm happier because I have overcome the sadness I've known and wiser because I have learned from my life.”
In a statement, Southern Luzon Command Chief Lt. Gen. Ricardo Visaya commended the Naval Forces Southern Luzon, saying the successful rescue operations demonstrated how “dependable and reliable (the) Navy (is) in securing the seas” in Southern Luzon. (E. Delgado/PIA5-Masbate)
- See more at: http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/821455155224/navy-reports-102-rescued-from-remote-island-#sthash.oGafhdJs.dpuf
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