Pinoy sailors confirmed dead in Indian Ocean

FIVE Filipino crew members who went missing after their Chinese vessel sank in the Indian Ocean have been found dead after a week of search and rescue operations, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Wednesday.

Ma. Teresita Daza, DFA spokesperson, said the agency is coordinating with the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) on the repatriation of the victims and the benefits due to their families.

She added there were also other nationalities whose remains were recovered.

On May 17, Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian reported that the Chinese fishing vessel Lu Peng Yuan Yu 028 (LPY28) capsized in the Indian Ocean. A total of 39 people, including 17 Chinese and five Filipinos, were part of its crew.

Citing information it received from the Chinese government, the DFA said an Indian maritime patrol located the capsized fishing vessel about 1,000 kilometers south of Sri Lanka on May 18. No survivors were found.

The governments of Australia, China, India, and Sri Lanka, among others, deployed a total of 12 vessels and six aircraft to conduct search and rescue operations, which were eventually hindered by bad weather, the DFA said.

On May 23, efforts were shifted to search and recovery given the length of time from the capsizing of the vessel.