The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Saturday ramped up search and rescue operations for four Filipino crew members missing after their cargo vessel, the M/V Devon Bay, capsized in the waters off Pangasinan.
The PCG deployed an Islander aircraft at approximately 7:20 a.m. to conduct aerial surveillance over the West Philippine Sea.
Simultaneously, the multi-role response vessel BRP Teresa Magbanua has been patrolling the area, roughly 141 nautical miles west-northwest of Tambobong, Pangasinan, while issuing radio alerts to all transiting vessels to keep a sharp lookout.
The Singapore-flagged vessel, which was transporting iron ore from the Philippines to China, carried 21 Filipino crew members when it encountered trouble Thursday night.
The PCG first received a distress signal at 8:30 p.m. reporting that the ship was listing at a dangerous 25-degree angle.
While search efforts continue for the four missing sailors, the Chinese Embassy in Manila reported on Friday that 17 crew members have been accounted for. Of those, 14 are in stable condition and one is receiving emergency medical treatment.
However, the embassy also stated that two crew members have been confirmed dead.
The PCG noted that it is still awaiting official verification regarding the reported fatalities mentioned by Chinese authorities.
“All transiting vessels in the area are requested to proceed with caution and render assistance as necessary, in accordance with international maritime regulations,” the PCG stated in a radio bulletin to ships in the vicinity.
The M/V Devon Bay was last tracked near Sabangan Point in Agno, Pangasinan, before it overturned.
Authorities have not yet confirmed the exact cause of the capsizing, though the vessel was reportedly carrying a heavy load of mineral ore at the time of the incident.