PCG: A cargo vessel M/V Meridian Tres was reported sinking at the vicinity waters of Sto Niño Dive Site, Bohol around 9:25 pm last night, January 17.

M/V Lorcon Iloilo reported the incident to Coast Guard Sub Sub-station Hilongos.

It was then coordinated with the personnel of Coast Guard Sub-station Bato and Hilongos and they immediately conducted search and rescue operation together with search and rescue vessel 3504, MV Ocean Kingdom, M/V Butuan and LCT PMI8.

As of 9:45 pm, a total of twenty-eight (28) crew were rescued and one (1) was still missing who was later identified as Benjamen Orola, Chief Operator 2 of vessel.

Hereunder are the lists of Survivors:

NAME OF CREW RANK

1. NAPOLEON U EMPHASIS MASTER

2. EDUARDO J ESPANUEVA CHIEF OFF

3. LEANDRO F ANDRADE 2ND OFF

4. NOEL G SONTOSIDAD 3RD OFF

5. MANUEL A BACAYANA CHIEF ENGR

6. ANTOLIN M ALAMPAYAN 2/ENGR

7. VIRGILIO S FRANCO 3/ENGR

8. ROLANDO C CAIANGI 4/ENGR

9. PRIMO B DARILAG BOSUN

10. BENJARDE D NAVAL A.B. 1

11. JEZON M ABIQUE A.B. 2

12. MARK ANDREW S MOTON A.B. 3

13. RONALD B ARIBUABO JR O.S

14. JULIUS C BLANCO C. OPER 1

15. JOEL C CENTINO OILER 1

16. JAN ROGEL P TABILIRAN OILER 2

17. EXEQUIEL DAVE N GALVAN OILER 3

18. REYMART JAMES MODINA CH. COOK

19. PATRICK JOSHUA M REFUGIA APP. MATE 1

20. FELIX M UY JR APP. MATE 2

21. RENANTE A OLIVERIO APP. MATE 3

22. JOHN MEYNARD S SUAREZ APP. MATE 4

23. KRISTIAN NOE L ARMENTAN APP. ENGR 1

24. JAN JOEL T SALVADOR APP. ENGR 2

25. HERALD V VENTURILLO APP. ENGR 3

26. EMILIO ALMAMENTO WELDER

27. ZALDY PAGALARAN 

28. JOSE SABLANTE JR

Investigation revealed M/V Meridian Tres departed Cebu City port enroute to Tacloban City with 29 crew onboard including the captain of the vessel while navigating at Sto Niño Dive Site, Bohol, the vessel was battered by strong winds and big waves prevailing in the area causing the stock pile of one hundred twenty six units of twenty footer container vans and five (5) units of ten (10) footer container vans of assorted goods collapsed and the port side of the said vessel listed 40 degrees.

Around 10 pm last night, the vessel submerged at the vicinity near Sto Niño Dive Site, Bohol.

Coast Guard team advised all vessels transiting in the area to be on look-out of the one (1) missing crew and render necessary assistance and report to the nearest Coast Guard Station if sighted.

M/V Meridian Tres is a cargo vessel skippered by Capt Napoleon Emphasis, owned and operated by Meridian Cargoes Forwarder Incorporation.