Good Samaritans rescue 22 after bulker sinks in Philippine Sea

Fishermen on a Taiwanese-flagged vessel have successfully rescued all 22 crewmembers of a Panamanian-flagged bulk carrier after it capsized and sank in the Philippine Sea on Wednesday, January 13.

The 158-metre Yong Feng was sailing from Papua New Guinea to China with a load of timber when it began listing heavily and taking on water at approximately 03:50 local time on Wednesday.

The ship’s distress call was received by the Japan Coast Guard, which then directed any nearby vessels to assist. A Taiwanese fishing vessel was the first to respond and duly arrived at the scene eight hours later.

Yong Feng‘s crew of 14 Chinese and eight Bangladeshi nationals were adrift in life boats when the fishing vessel reached the area, by which time the bulk carrier had already slipped beneath the waves.

All 22 crewmen were picked up out of the water without incident.

Investigators suspect that the capsizing was caused by the shifting of the onboard cargo during transit.