GMANews
January 21, 2015 3:55pm
(UPDATED 8:07 p.m.) At least eight people were rescued from a yacht that caught fire off Culaba town in Biliran province shortly after noon Wednesday.
The fire occurred at about 12:30 p.m., with the crew sending a distress call, radio dzBB reported.
Citing sketchy initial information, the dzBB report said the rescued crewmembers were brought to a hospital in Culaba for treatment.
Authorities are still verifying the ownershp of the yacht
For its part, the Biliran provincial government said the yacht caught fire at sea off Barangay Verginia in Culaba town in Biliran, while sailing from Tacloban to Manila.
It said nine crewmembers were rescued.
Citing a report from Sofronio Dacillo Jr. of Biliran Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, it said the yacht’s name is MV Lubenico.
It identified the crew as:
Captain Ronald Salmoren
chief mate Gregorio Booc
chief engineer Neil Abatayo
electrician Eugene Orge
AB Melody de San Jose
AB Joel Sotomayor
oiler Manny Azul
oiler James Sotomayor
cook/steward John Adrian Goballa.
