A Panamanian cargo vessel sank off the coast of Catanduanes Saturday (January 21) afternoon. All fourteen members of the crew have been rescued.
Several reports quoted the Philippine Coast Guard as saying that the M/V Sun Spirit listed at about 34 nautical miles off Binorong Point in Catanduanes last Saturday.
An SOS call was made around 1:30 p.m. Saturday and a Notice to Mariners (NOTAM) was dispatched to all vessels near the area. The Coast Guard also deployed a rescue ship and a helicopter in the search and rescue operations.
A passing vessel, M/V Oriental Sana 2 was able to rescue 11 crew. A fishing boat nearby saved three others.
According to the Coast Guard, the 7,104-gross tonnage vessel, loaded with iron sand, was bound from Leyte to China.
