Rescue diver dies; heros burial set
By Kristine L. Alave
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 01:12:00 01/09/2010
MANILA, PhilippinesLike the victims of the ferry MV Catalyn B, which sank after a collision with a fishing vessel on Christmas Eve, PO3 Arman Bonifacio, a diver of the Philippine Coast Guard, met his end in the water Friday.
Bonifacio lost consciousness while he and other Coast Guard divers were trying to retrieve bodies entombed in the wreck of Catalyn B, according to Coast Guard spokesperson Commander Arman Balilo.
It was the first time in the Coast Guards recent history that a diver had died while in the midst of a mission, Balilo said.
Bonifacio, 42, was pronounced dead at the Jose Reyes Medical Center in Manila.
Balilo said that Bonifacio was a seasoned diver who served the Coast Guard for 20 years.
As a Coast Guard diver, Bonifacio was involved in the retrieval of bodies from the MV Princess of the Stars, which capsized in 2008, and the SuperFerry 14, which sank last year.
He was there in all of the Coast Guard sorties, Balilo said.
Heros burial
Bonifacio was also a team leader in rescue operations after Tropical Storms Ondoy and Pepeng submerged Metro Manila and nearby provinces late last year.
Coast Guard Adm. Wilfredo Tamayo has ordered that Bonifacio be buried with honors and full assistance be given to his family.
Balilo said in a phone interview that Bonifacio became unconscious while trying to retrieve a female cadaver from the ferry, which sank after a collision with FV Anatalia, a steel-hulled boat, on Dec. 24.
Bonifacios diving partner, PO3 Saturnino Cahilig Jr., noticed that Bonifacio went slack just after they had brought the womans body to the surface, according to Balilo.
Retrieval stops
Bonifacio was immediately taken to the decompression chamber on the BRP Pampanga but he did not regain consciousness.
The operation off the coast of Cavite province was halted while Bonifacio was taken to the Jose Reyes Medical Center, where he died after a cardiac arrest.
It appeared that Bonifacio suffered a diving-related ailment while on the mission, a hazard all divers face, Balilo said.
Bonifacios body will undergo autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.
The body of the female victim recovered Friday was clad in black pants and a white shirt with a heart print, Balilo said.
He said the woman, believed to be in her twenties, had yet to be identified.
MANILA, Philippines - Four bodies, including that of a baby, were recovered by Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) divers during Wednesday's retrieval operations for the missing passengers of the ill-fated ferry Catalyn B off the waters of Limbones Island in Cavite province.
The PCG said the first recovered was the body of Mario Redublo, 63, of Barangay Maguinhawa, Lubang, Occidental Mindoro. The victim was identified through a senior citizen's identification card retrieved from the body.
The three other bodies recovered from the sunken Catalyn B, which was located 221 feet below the surface and 2 nautical miles from Limbones Island, belonged to 2 females and a baby.
The first female body was described as 30 to 35 years old, wearing a pink and white striped blouse and black pants, a bracelet and has a keychain with the name Shane Mabel.
The second female body was recovered around 3 p.m. The PCG said the woman was wearing brown pedal pants, a dark green jacket, a black blouse and a Seiko watch. It also has a Nokia cellular phone. Authorities place the woman's age at around 40.
The PCG said the last body recovered from the sunken ship belonged to a baby, probably one year old. The baby was wearing a pink overall and a yellow shirt with a butterfly design.
A pink pacifier and a pair of earrings were also recovered from the babys body.
Bodies brought to Manila
Lt. Col. Armand Balilo, PCG spokesman, said the 8-man retrieval team started diving on Wednesday morning. The retrieval was temporarily halted at 4 p.m. to bring the recovered bodies to the PCG's main headquarters in Manila.
Balilo said the retrieval operations will resume Thursday morning.
The recovery of the 4 bodies brought the official number of fatalities from the ferry's sinking to 10 while 17 remained missing.
The ferry sank in the waters off Limbones Island in Maragondon town on Christmas Eve. At least 44 passengers survived the tragedy.
Meanwhile, a family member of one of the fatalities of the ill-fated passenger ferry expressed disappointment over the Catalyn B owner's compensation.
Mark Lloyd Almodal told radio dzMM that the San Nicolas Shipping Lines, whose operation has been suspended due to the mishap, gave them only P5,000 in burial assistance.
Almodals brother, Michael, was one of the passengers of the ferry. Michaels body was found floating in the waters off Bataan.
Baleno 9 victims' retrieval halted
Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) administrator Elena Bautista, meanwhile, said that diving for the missing passengers of MV Baleno 9 have been halted.
"Hindi po kakayaning balikan iyong barko sa ilalim ng dagat kung meron pang remaining bodies," Bautista said.
She said that what the retrieval teams could only do is to wait for the bodies to float to the surface. She said teams from the PCG are on a round-the-clock alert for reports of floating bodies.
The roll-on, roll-off vessel sank off Isla Verde Island in Batangas City last December 26. A total of 6 bodies have been recovered and 47 more passengers remained missing.
Bautista had said that Peter Ang, owner of the Besta Shipping Lines, which operates the ill-fated vessel, has been avoiding the Marina's calls and invitations.
The Marina has asked the Bureau of Immigration to place Ang on its watchlist.
By Kristine L. Alave
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 01:12:00 01/09/2010
MANILA, PhilippinesLike the victims of the ferry MV Catalyn B, which sank after a collision with a fishing vessel on Christmas Eve, PO3 Arman Bonifacio, a diver of the Philippine Coast Guard, met his end in the water Friday.
Bonifacio lost consciousness while he and other Coast Guard divers were trying to retrieve bodies entombed in the wreck of Catalyn B, according to Coast Guard spokesperson Commander Arman Balilo.
It was the first time in the Coast Guards recent history that a diver had died while in the midst of a mission, Balilo said.
Bonifacio, 42, was pronounced dead at the Jose Reyes Medical Center in Manila.
Balilo said that Bonifacio was a seasoned diver who served the Coast Guard for 20 years.
As a Coast Guard diver, Bonifacio was involved in the retrieval of bodies from the MV Princess of the Stars, which capsized in 2008, and the SuperFerry 14, which sank last year.
He was there in all of the Coast Guard sorties, Balilo said.
Heros burial
Bonifacio was also a team leader in rescue operations after Tropical Storms Ondoy and Pepeng submerged Metro Manila and nearby provinces late last year.
Coast Guard Adm. Wilfredo Tamayo has ordered that Bonifacio be buried with honors and full assistance be given to his family.
Balilo said in a phone interview that Bonifacio became unconscious while trying to retrieve a female cadaver from the ferry, which sank after a collision with FV Anatalia, a steel-hulled boat, on Dec. 24.
Bonifacios diving partner, PO3 Saturnino Cahilig Jr., noticed that Bonifacio went slack just after they had brought the womans body to the surface, according to Balilo.
Retrieval stops
Bonifacio was immediately taken to the decompression chamber on the BRP Pampanga but he did not regain consciousness.
The operation off the coast of Cavite province was halted while Bonifacio was taken to the Jose Reyes Medical Center, where he died after a cardiac arrest.
It appeared that Bonifacio suffered a diving-related ailment while on the mission, a hazard all divers face, Balilo said.
Bonifacios body will undergo autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.
The body of the female victim recovered Friday was clad in black pants and a white shirt with a heart print, Balilo said.
He said the woman, believed to be in her twenties, had yet to be identified.
= = = = = = = = EARLIER STORY (RELATED) = = = = = = = = = =
MANILA, Philippines - Four bodies, including that of a baby, were recovered by Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) divers during Wednesday's retrieval operations for the missing passengers of the ill-fated ferry Catalyn B off the waters of Limbones Island in Cavite province.
The PCG said the first recovered was the body of Mario Redublo, 63, of Barangay Maguinhawa, Lubang, Occidental Mindoro. The victim was identified through a senior citizen's identification card retrieved from the body.
The three other bodies recovered from the sunken Catalyn B, which was located 221 feet below the surface and 2 nautical miles from Limbones Island, belonged to 2 females and a baby.
The first female body was described as 30 to 35 years old, wearing a pink and white striped blouse and black pants, a bracelet and has a keychain with the name Shane Mabel.
The second female body was recovered around 3 p.m. The PCG said the woman was wearing brown pedal pants, a dark green jacket, a black blouse and a Seiko watch. It also has a Nokia cellular phone. Authorities place the woman's age at around 40.
The PCG said the last body recovered from the sunken ship belonged to a baby, probably one year old. The baby was wearing a pink overall and a yellow shirt with a butterfly design.
A pink pacifier and a pair of earrings were also recovered from the babys body.
Bodies brought to Manila
Lt. Col. Armand Balilo, PCG spokesman, said the 8-man retrieval team started diving on Wednesday morning. The retrieval was temporarily halted at 4 p.m. to bring the recovered bodies to the PCG's main headquarters in Manila.
Balilo said the retrieval operations will resume Thursday morning.
The recovery of the 4 bodies brought the official number of fatalities from the ferry's sinking to 10 while 17 remained missing.
The ferry sank in the waters off Limbones Island in Maragondon town on Christmas Eve. At least 44 passengers survived the tragedy.
Meanwhile, a family member of one of the fatalities of the ill-fated passenger ferry expressed disappointment over the Catalyn B owner's compensation.
Mark Lloyd Almodal told radio dzMM that the San Nicolas Shipping Lines, whose operation has been suspended due to the mishap, gave them only P5,000 in burial assistance.
Almodals brother, Michael, was one of the passengers of the ferry. Michaels body was found floating in the waters off Bataan.
Baleno 9 victims' retrieval halted
Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) administrator Elena Bautista, meanwhile, said that diving for the missing passengers of MV Baleno 9 have been halted.
"Hindi po kakayaning balikan iyong barko sa ilalim ng dagat kung meron pang remaining bodies," Bautista said.
She said that what the retrieval teams could only do is to wait for the bodies to float to the surface. She said teams from the PCG are on a round-the-clock alert for reports of floating bodies.
The roll-on, roll-off vessel sank off Isla Verde Island in Batangas City last December 26. A total of 6 bodies have been recovered and 47 more passengers remained missing.
Bautista had said that Peter Ang, owner of the Besta Shipping Lines, which operates the ill-fated vessel, has been avoiding the Marina's calls and invitations.
The Marina has asked the Bureau of Immigration to place Ang on its watchlist.
