Seven Filipino fishermen who were rescued by a Japanese cargo ship after their fishing vessel sunk amid the onslaught of Typhoon “Kabayan” have returned to the Philippines, the Department of Foreign Affairs said.
The fishermen were onboard fishing boat “Queen Mitch Petal Dasol–Pangasinan” when it encounter big waves and sunk some 220 kilometers off the coast of Luzon.
The DFA said that the Filipino fishermen hung on wooden boat drifted for more than 24 hours when Japanese cargo vessel “NYK Joanna,” spotted and rescued them.
They were brought to Japan and treated, according to the DFA.
The Philippine Embassy in Japan provided consular assistance to the Filipino fishermen, which includes issuing their travel documents, obtaining landing permission from Japanese authorities, and purchased their one-way ticket to Manila.
Meanwhile, a Filipino seafarer, who was meted with a three-month jail sentence in Singapore, arrived at the country, Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said.
The seafarer, Jonathan Tacapan, was arrested in July for his alleged participation in the theft of diesel fuel from the ship where he was employed as an electrician.
Tacapan denied any participation in the incident, said it was his fellow crew members, who were Indonesians, did the crime.
He claimed he never touched the money handed over to him by the Indonesians as part of the share of the loot.