Working Conditions Aboard the Asian-Explorer

In a remarkable maritime rescue operation, all 14 crewmembers of the Panamanian cargo ship M/V Sun Spirits were successfully saved after the vessel encountered distress 34 nautical miles southeast of Binorong Point, Catanduanes. The vessel was transporting 9,900.7 metric tons of iron ore from Leyte to mainland China when it began listing due to severe weather conditions in the Pacific Ocean. Captain Leopoldo Laroya, the district commander of the Coast Guard, reported that the M/V Sun Spirits, owned by Yokohama Manning, sent out an emergency signal at 1 p.m. on Saturday. The crew consisted of Captain Park Cheol Fon and another Korean national, along with 12 Indonesian sailors. Ens. Jomark Angue, the Coast Guard operations officer, revealed that the rescue mission was swiftly organized, involving assistance from a Navy vessel stationed in Pasacao, Camarines Sur, along with another Coast Guard ship and a civilian vessel from Cebu. Additionally, aerial support was provided by Coast Guard and Air Force helicopters. The rescue operation proved successful when, at approximately 9:20 a.m. on Sunday, the MV Oriental Xanadu located and retrieved 11 crew members from a life boat situated east of Rapu-rapu Island in Albay. The remaining three crew members were rescued by an unidentified fishing boat that safely transported them to the Coast Guard office in Virac.