By JEN BAYLON

Six fishermen were rescued off the coast of Negros Occidental’s Silay City after strong waves submerged their motor banca early yesterday morning.

Coast Guard Station-Northern Negros Occidental (CGSNNOC) Commander Paterno Belarmino, Jr. said the fishermen left Barangay Zone 3’s Catabla Baybay in neighboring Talisay City around 4:00 a.m. yesterday for a fishing expedition.

They are identified as 37-year-old Joan Infante, 25-year-old Arnel Sevilla, 24-year-old Jondle Sevilla, 58-year-old Liberato Sevilla, 30-year-old Ricky Sevilla, and 39-year-old Elmer Tiongzon.

While fishing in the waters of Silay, their boat was hit by strong winds and waves, causing one of the outriggers to detach, and water started to come into the motor banca.

Belarmino said the six fishermen jumped into the sea.

The CGSNNOC headquarters in Bacolod City’s Barangay Banago received a distress call from a passing tanker ship around 9:00 a.m., as they spotted the fishermen floating at around four nautical miles from the coastline.

They were rescued by a tugboat from the Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary’s 618th Squadron.

Their half-submerged motor banca was towed to the Bredco Port in Bacolod.

No one suffered serious injuries in the incident./JB, WDJ