Eleven fishermen were rescued on Christmas morning after clinging to their capsized boat for 13 days.
The men were found on Christmas Day after their boat capsized off Guiuan town, Eastern Visayas, at the height of typhoon Urduja.
Five members of the original crew remain missing, and are presumed dead.
Remarkably, all of the rescued men were said to be in reasonable health. According to Manuel Catuday, disaster risk reduction and management officer of Dolores, the most serious health issue was that one of the men seemed to be suffering from depression..
Rescued were Enrico Solayao, aged 32; Jay-ar Josolan, 28; Ryan Calixte, 24; Jessie Apolan, 19; Jesus Apolan, 48; Jesulito Mendoza, 53; Sol Freddie Alboro, 34; Glenn Moro,23; Ernesto Mascariñas, 54; Rommel Lopez, 27; and Rey Cubillo, 38.
The five men still missing are Marvin Nadunga, Joey Tolentino, Noni Magalona, Fernando Alboro and his brother Sol Freddie Alboro, captain of the ill-fated FB Vilmar I.
The 16 fishermen left Tacloban City in Leyte on December 3 to fish in the waters off Mindanao.
At about 7pm on December 13, the crew were heading to Suluan Island off Guiuan when they came up against tropical storm Urduja.
“Their fishing boat capsized. They were able to hang to their dear lives with the use of a big portion of the boat where the freezer was located,” Mr Catuday said.
As Urduja unleashed her fury, the 16 grew tired and hungry. Five of them lost their grip on the boat and were swept out to sea the strong current.
But on Christmas morning at 11am, three fishermen from Dolores town spotted the survivors and loaded them into their boats. They were then taken to the Domingo Casan Hospital where they were treated for their injuries.
“They were wet and tired and hungry,” Mr Catuday said.
Members of Coast Guard are continuing to hunt for the five missing men.
Yesterday we reported on another remarkable tale of survival at sea, when a 25-year-old Filipina was rescued after four days clinging to part of her wrecked house. She had been washed 560 miles out to sea after her home was wrecked by floodwater.