Five passengers of a banca that submerged due to bad weather condition were rescued by the Philippine Coast Guard off Pujada Island in the City of Mati Saturday afternoon.
The Mati City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office stated that the passengers came from the Municipality of Lupon and dropped by their relatives in Barangay Macambol, City of Mati where they boarded a banca going to the nearby Pujada Island.
Upon their departure from Pujada Island around three in the afternoon and were passing by the Oak Island, huge waves battered their banca causing it to submerge.
The Davao Oriental Police Provincial Office received the information and readily contacted Philippine Coast Guard for rescue. Around four in the afternoon, the PCG reached the area and rescued the five passengers.
The rescued passengers were identified as Jocelle Benidicto, 30 years old from Lupon; Jane Flores, 26 from Lupon; Joshua Aquino, 23 from Davao City; April Agualan, 25 from Lupon; and Jay Flores, 21 from Lupon.
The five did not sustain any serious injuries and were transported back to their relatives in Macambol. (CIO MATI)
