The Philippine Coast Guard on Wednesday announced that it has officially ended all search and rescue (SAR) operations for the missing vessel MBCA Amejara, one month after it disappeared in the waters off the Davao Gulf.
In a press briefing, Commodore Philipps Soria, Commander of the Coast Guard District Southeast Mindanao, announced that effective immediately, no further SAR missions will be conducted.
“After exhaustive efforts over the past month involving multiple agencies and maritime authorities, we have concluded that continuing search operations is no longer viable,” Soria said.
The ship, which went missing on January 19, had prompted an extensive search covering waters from Mindanao to nearby Indonesian territories.
On February 3, authorities officially shifted efforts from search and rescue to search and retrieval due to the low likelihood of survival after more than two weeks at sea.
After a month-long mission, CGDSEM led sustained operations that included 15 days of intensified search and rescue, followed by 15 days of extended search and retrieval efforts.
CGDSEM stated in a statement that all available surface, aerial, and coastal monitoring assets were deployed across the designated search areas, including projected drift paths calculated using prevailing weather conditions and oceanographic assessments.
To date, the operation has resulted in the rescue of one survivor, confirmed the deaths of six individuals, and nine crew members remain unaccounted for.
To the families of those still missing, CGDSEM conveyed its “deepest sympathies and unwavering solidarity,” recognizing the profound pain caused by this tragedy.
“While active search operations have concluded, the agency assures that any verified information or recovered materials related to the MBCA AMEJARA will continue to be evaluated and acted upon,” it said..
The Philippine Coast Guard also reiterated its call to all vessel operators and the maritime community to prioritize safety at sea by strictly adhering to maritime laws, safety regulations, voyage planning procedures, and official weather advisories.
“Ensuring seaworthiness and compliance with established safety standards remains essential to preventing maritime incidents,” Coast Guard said.
