RP navy rescues four fishermen

RP navy rescues four fishermen

PHILIPPINES: Navy sailors on Sunday rescued four Filipino fishermen who were adrift for 15 days in the unpredictable western Philippine seas.

Navy spokesman Geronimo Malabanan said the four fishermen were already aboard a patrol ship en route to Manila and were undergoing medical examinations.

Malabanan said the fishermen were recovered early Sunday off the island of Busuanga in Palawan province, 300 kilometers southwest of Manila.

An American PT Orion surveillance plane spotted the ill-fated vessel on late Friday.

The fishermen left the northwestern coastal town of Subic in Zambales province on March 22 but failed to return as scheduled four days later, prompting relatives to report them as missing.

Malabanan said the boat developed engine trouble and lost power, causing the vessel to drift aimlessly on the high seas. -- DPA