Thirteen Filipino fishermen remained missing more than a month after the Taiwanese fishing vessel they boarded sank in the South Atlantic Ocean, authorities said on Tuesday.
Taiwanese fishing vessel Hsiang Fu Chun sank in the South Atlantic Ocean on February 26 but the relatives of the missing Filipinos said they still have not heard about their loved ones more than a month after the tragedy.
The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) confirmed the sinking of the vessel with the Filipinos on board but the families of the missing fishermen said the DFA could not provide them with updates.
Earlier, the Taiwanese Ministry of Fisheries Agency Deputy Director-General Huang Hung-yan said the sunken vessel had 47 fishermen onboard – 21 Indonesians, 13 Filipinos, 11 Chinese and two Vietnamese.
The vessel reportedly picked up the Filipino fishermen in Medina town, Misamis Oriental last January.
The Taiwanese government has already urged British authorities and the European Union Naval Force to widen its search and rescue operation with the hope of finding the missing fishermen alive.
Meanwhile, the DFA has urged the 4,000 Filipinos in Libya to immediate leave the country or risk getting trapped in the ongoing military operations.
DFA spokesman Charles Jose said the DFA has called on Filipinos to move out of Libya following the death of Jupiter Adrias, 31, who was killed by rocket explosion in the said country.
Adrias, a native of Roxas City, Capiz, had been working in Libyra for two years.
Three other Filipinos were also injured in the explosion that occurred in the town of Zawiyah. – BusinessNewsAsia.com