DAVAO ORIENTAL — Five passengers of a boat that sunk due to bad weather conditions were rescued by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) off Pujada Island in the City of Mati Saturday afternoon.

The Mati City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office stated that the passengers came from the Municipality of Lupon and were visiting relatives in Barangay Macambol, Mati where they boarded a banca en route to Pujada Island.

Upon their departure from Pujada Island at around 3 p.m., huge waves battered their boat causing it to submerge just as they were passing by Oak Island.

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The Davao Oriental Police Provincial Office received information about the incident and contacted the PCG for rescue. The PCG reached the area where the boat sunk at around 4 p.m.

The rescued passengers were identified as Jocelle Benidicto, 30 years old from Lupon; Jane Flores, 26, from Lupon; Joshua Aquino, 23, from Davao City; April Agualan, 25, from Lupon; and Jay Flores, 21, from Lupon.

They did not sustain any serious injuries and were transported back to their relatives in Macambol. - With a report from Hernel Tocmo

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