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Navy copter rescues stranded fishermen
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Posted on Nov 22 2006
Navy helicopter rescued three fishermen who were stranded in a boat for many hours some 20 to 30 miles west of Sugar Dock Tuesday afternoon.
Endique R. Honorio Jr., Edihuel N. Necesito, and Remegio V. Guardian, all Filipinos, were in good condition when the U.S. Navy’s Rescue 57 helicopter spotted them and took them aboard the helicopter, according to the Department of Public Safety yesterday.
DPS Boating Safety Section Sgt. Bernard K. Santos said investigation showed that on Monday at 7pm, the three fishermen launched their 16-footer boat at the Garapan Fishing Base.
The group went for bottom fishing outside Managaha Island. They would usually return the following day at 7am.
Santos said Honorio told him that the boat’s outboard engine had rope starter problem on Tuesday at 12am near buoy N o. 2 outside of the Micro Beach reef site.
Honorio, who owns the boat, said he tried to repair it but was unsuccessful.
The boat then drifted in a southwesterly direction until the helicopter rescued them.
Nobert Camacho reported to DPS the overdue fishermen on Tuesday at 1:30pm.
Boating Safety officers then launched their Zodiac III rescue boat at the Smiling Cove and conducted a search within and outside the Managaha Island reef.
Police officers also monitored the beach sites from San Roque to San Antonio. The Emergency Management Office Tinian and Guam U.S. Coast Guard were also contacted.
At 3:45pm the Navy’s helicopter was spotted in the air searching the reef site of San Antonio.
At 5:53pm, the Harbor Patrol called Boating Safety that the Navy helicopter had rescued the fishermen and was on their way to the Saipan International Airport.
Boating Safety officers could not recover the boat due to big waves measuring about 10 to 15 feet high and also due to the vessel’s distance.
