THE Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has recovered a capsized fishing vessel due to a collision with a foreign-registered ship some 180 nautical miles west of Agno, Pangasinan.
The ill-starred fishing board, FB Dearyn reportedly capsized following a collision with the MV Pacific Anna last Oct. 2.
In a bid to locate and retrieve the fishing vessel, the PCG commandant, Admiral Artemio Abu, ordered the Task Force Kaligtasan sa Karagatan (TF KsK) led by VADM Joseph Coyme to carry out the retrieval operations.
The operations were divided into three phases: aerial survey, security, and salvage operations.
In the first phase, on October 7, the PCG Cessna Caravan (PCG 2801) was deployed to locate the fishing boat based on its last known position.
Once the presence of the vessel was confirmed on the water’s surface and the possibility of refloating was considered, the PCG then sent the BRP Malapascua (MRRV-4403) to the exact location on October 8.
The purpose of deploying the BRP Malapascua was to secure the vessel while awaiting the arrival of the salvage vessel.
Due to the PCG’s limited salvage capabilities, VADM Coyme, Commander of the Maritime Safety Services Command, sought assistance from the Harbor Star Salvaging Company, a PCG accredited salvor.
Following an agreement with the salvor, their tugboat MT Avior and crew were deployed to support the PCG for the third phase on salvage operations of the fishing boat.
On October 11, 2023, the salvor reached the location where it was reported, and successfully refloated FB Dearyn and towed to Subic, Zambales.
The fishing vessel was then towed for six (6) days until it arrived at Subic Freeport before midnight of October 15.
Coyme emphasized the critical importance of FB Dearyn’s recovery in concluding the ongoing investigation conducted by the PCG.
He also highlighted that with the vessel now recovered, the Philippine National Police (PNP) forensics will be able to conduct a thorough investigation, further strengthening the case against the Marshall Flag vessel.
Admiral Abu commends the collaborative efforts of all parties involved in this successful operation and remains committed to ensuring the safety and security of maritime activities particularly the Filipino fishermen within Philippine maritime jurisdiction.