Two dead, 72 missing in sudden squall off northern Philippin

[senorpepr]

Two people were killed and at least 72 others are missing after scores of small fishing boats encountered strong winds in waters off the northern Philippines, authorities said on Sunday.

Over a hundred fishermen, aboard about 70 small fishing boats, ventured out to sea off the northern province of La Union on Friday but ran into strong winds, the civil defense office said.

One body has since been found off Ilocos Norte province, farther to the north, it said.
Captain Eduardo Legaspi, a regional coast guard official, said in a television interview, that a cargo boat picked up five survivors and one fatality from a capsized boat.

Another 67 fishermen aboard 12 boats, who were originally reported among the missing, have managed to return home but there was no information on the other vessels, the civil defense office added.

The coast guard expressed hopes some of the missing had already reached the shore but had not yet reported to authorities that they were safe.

Mr Legaspi said the weather had been fair when the fishing boats set out but they were hit by a sudden squall that took them by surprise.

Coast guard vessels and air force planes and helicopters are searching for the missing boats amid hopes the fishermen may have simply taken shelter among the small islets.

Poor coastal communities in the Philippines usually rely on small, wooden fishing boats, many just large enough for two people.