THREE City Government employees and a boatman have gone missing as they failed to reach their destination early Tuesday, November 26, coming from the Great Sta. Island, some 2.1 nautical south of Zamboanga City.
Missing are Badzair Attan, 46; Ibrahim Hassan, 37; and Mudzmar Habing, all personnel of the Protected Area Management Office (Pamo); and Rasbi Ambiting, 22, a boatman.
Dr. Elmeir Jade Apolinario, City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (CDRRMO) chief, said they departed aboard a motorboat around 4 a.m. Tuesday, November 26, from the Great Sta. Cruz Island en route to Zamboanga City via Paseo del Mar, but they failed to reach their destination.
The docking area of motorboats coming from and to the Sta. Cruz Islands is at the Paseo del Mar park.
Apolinario said the three personnel were supposed to assist Pamo head Richard Aliangan, since they have a scheduled symposium Tuesday, November 26, at the Centro Latino Convention Hall of the Paseo del Mar park.
He said they have deployed speed boats, as search for the missing persons is ongoing.
Apolinario said they have also tapped the assistance of other agencies like the Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine Navy, Air Force, local police and Task Force Zamboanga to assist them in scouring the sea.
He said a wreckage of the motorboat used by the Pamo personnel was recovered at 10 a.m. Tuesday, November 26, in the vicinity of Calarian and Sinunuc waters, west of Zamboanga City.
The CDRRMO personnel, accompanied by Coast Guard personnel, have also recovered a life jacket while scouring the sea Wednesday, November 27.
Apolinario said they have also alerted residents in coastal areas to be on the lookout as there is a possibility that they were swept ashore by waves.
He said investigation is underway to determine the circumstance surrounding the incident since the weather was good when they disappeared at sea. (SunStar Zamboanga)