Thomasian remains missing after ferry capsizes
by Heather Marian Amoroso
(UPDATED Dec. 26, 12:20 p.m.) A UST Junior High School student remained missing, along with two other passengers, after a ferry bound to Polillo Island capsized on Dec. 21.
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) confirmed that Jake Noel Mendiola, 14, remains missing after M/V Mercraft 3 sunk between Polillo Island and Barangay Binahican in Infanta, Quezon.
Mendiola’s cousin Cheysser Zabala said that Mendiola planned to go home to Burdeos, Quezon, along with his mother, Dulcenia, for Christmas vacation.
“Kasama niya mother niya, dahil daw sa lakas ng alon, nagkahiwalay sila sa tubig,” Zabala told TomasinoWeb in an interview. “Ayon si tita (Dulcenia), nakabitaw na siya pero inaangat siya ni Jake.”
Zabala said that Mendiola’s other cousin and survivor, Donnel Jade, also came with them when the ferry took off at 9 a.m. from Ungos Port in Real, Quezon.
“Ayon naman sa tita, may hinahawakan nga silang mag-ina at nung na nakabitaw siya, lumubog siya at parang, nawalan siya malay. Namalayan lang kasi sya [nung] inaangat siya ng isang lalaki at binigyan hawakan. So pag tingin niya, wala na si Jake,” Zabala said.
Zabala also said that the front of the ferry was already damaged by 10 a.m. and that it remained afloat for an hour before it began to sink.
“Malalaki kasi [yung] alon kaya talagang nagkakahiwalay daw [sila] at [na]hirap[an] magkakitaan. Yun [yung] last kita [ni] tita kay Jake,” Zabala added.
The other missing passengers are Zandy Tapar and Odelun Azur.
The fast craft ferry owned by Mercraft Shipping Lines reportedly carried 256 passengers and crew when it sank.
However, police officials said in an interview with radio station DZRH that they would also investigate the matter of overloading. M/V Mercraft 3 had a maximum capacity of 286 passengers, according to the PCG.
A total of five casualties have already been recorded and 11 passengers were reportedly injured. — with reports from P. Jamilla
This is a developing story. Please refresh the page for updates.
