ZAMBOANGA CITY, 5 December 2004 — A Philippine Navy patrol vessel rescued three people who almost drowned after a cargo ship rammed their motorized boat off the southern port city of Zamboanga, officials said yesterday.
The incident occurred late on Thursday
One of the boat passengers was 70-year-old Sahidul Sarihol, who was injured and taken by soldiers a hospital, said regional navy chief Commodore Rufino Lopez.
He identified the two other victims as Basil Jalilul, 32, and Tajil Hassan, 23, all natives of nearby Basilan Island.
With his injuries, the old man could not have survived, Arab News learned.
The boat was heading to Basilan from Zamboanga City when it collided with the cargo ship near Malamawi Island, the navy said.
It was unknown if the ship had knowledge of the accident, but Lopez said the unidentified vessel did not stop.
Navy patrol boats were sent to track down the cargo ship. Pirates and Abu Sayyaf rebels are known to operate in the area.
