Philippine authorities are continuing search and rescue operations for 10 missing crew members of a Chinese sand carrier that capsized off Rizal, Occidental Mindoro on Tuesday morning, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) confirmed.
In a statement, the PCG said the vessel, identified as Hong Hai 16 and operated by Keen Peak Corporation, had 25 crew members on board — 13 Filipinos and 12 Chinese nationals.
Tragically, one Chinese crew member died in the incident. So far, 14 have been rescued, including six Filipinos and eight Chinese. The remaining 10 missing include seven Filipinos and three Chinese.
The vessel capsized around 5:20 a.m. in moderate sea conditions. The PCG’s Special Operations Group in Southern Tagalog is conducting underwater assessments and preparing for potential diving and cutting operations.
Initial assessments indicate the vessel remains upright but is partially submerged, with the possibility of crew members trapped in the engine room.
Local disaster response units have been mobilized, and preparations for oil spill containment are underway as a precaution.