Forty-two volunteers were safely rescued after a yacht carrying them and the relief supplies caught fire while on its way to deliver aid to earthquake-hit communities in Southern Mindanao on Friday.
Video footage posted on the official social media page of the Adventists Southern Asia-Pacific Philippines Facebook showed volunteers transferring from the vessel to a smaller boat after heavy smoke was observed coming from the yacht between 11:30 a.m. and 12 noon.
All 42 volunteers on board were safely rescued and bought to Barangay Pangyan in Glan, Sarangani, the hardest-hit province by the magnitude-7.8 earthquake on June 8. No injury or casualty were reported.
In a social media post, the Philippine Coast Guard said it continues to coordinate with local authorities to determine the cause of the incident and assess further assistance required.
Pastor Nildo Mamac, president of the Southern Mindanao Mission, said only about five percent of the relief supplies were recovered.
“Although we have lost supplies and equipment, we are grateful that every volunteer was spared. Material things can be replaced, but lives cannot,” Mamac said in a news article posted on the Seventh-day Adventist Church Southern Asia-Pacific website.
“The safety of our volunteers remains our greatest blessing in this situation,” he added.
The religious group used the vessel, owned by the Adventist-laymen's Services & Industries president, Edsel Lim, to transport the relief supplies, as several major roads remain impassable following the earthquake.
“Despite the loss of much of the relief cargo, church leaders and volunteers remain committed to delivering assistance to affected families and are working to establish alternative logistical arrangements to continue the humanitarian operation,” the group said.
The Office of Civil Defense said the number of deaths being verified due to the strong earthquake has climbed to 47, along with 688 injured, and 31 persons, as of June 11. (PNA)
