China Coast Guard no help to distressed fishers near Panatag, survivors say | INQToday

Fishermen who survived their boats explosion off the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the West Philippine Sea recall not getting help from the nearby China Coast Guard even as they were struggling in the water. Although a China Coast Guard ship was in the area when the boat explosion occurred on Saturday, June 29, fisherman Mark Asuka says the Chinese crew did not help except to throw life vests at them, even hitting his father in the process. According to the fisherman, the vests thrown at them were actually useless to them because they were already transferring to the Philippine Coast Guards. We are busy in Dangan when it was done. They say BRP Sindhangan was even shadowed by the China Coast Guard ship after they boarded the PCG ship Rolando Lumapa. So one of the injured survivors insists it was only the PCG and other Filipino fishers who offered help. For Lumapas, the lack of empathy from the China Coast Guard was expected as they have had previous run insurance with its personal who shoot them away every time they would go near Scarborough Shoal even just to take shelter from a storm. Luma passage that the ordeal would not stop him from it returning to the West Philippine Sea because fishing is his only means of livelihood. 2 of the 8 Fisher folk on board FFB Akiyo suffered second degree burns after their vessels engine exploded near Scarborough showed the 8 fishermen arrived at Riviera Pierre in Subic Bay, Freeport on board VRPC Downline at 4:20 AM on Monday, July 1.