The families of the 12 missing crewmen and two passengers of FV Liberty 5, which sank in the waters of Occidental Mindoro more than a month ago following a “collision” with a Hong Kong-flagged carrier vessel have agreed for a monetary settlement, the Philippine Coast Guard reported Thursday.
Coast Guard Commandant Admiral George Ursabia Jr. said family members have agreed for a P1-million settlement for each of the crewmen and passengers of the local fishing boat, which sank in June in the waters of Mamburao, Occidental Mindoro, after colliding with the Australia-bound MV Vienna Wood.
“Philippine Coast Guard [PCG] Commandant, Admiral George V. Ursabia Jr. announced that on Monday, 24 August 2020, the stakeholders of MV Vienna Wood and FV Liberty 5 will hold a formal settlement for the damages caused by the sea collision in the vicinity waters off Mamburao, Occidental Mindoro, on 27 June 2020 at the PCG National Headquarters, Port Area, Manila,” the Coast Guard said.
“On Monday, the family members of the 12 missing Filipino fishermen and two other passengers of FV Liberty 5 will receive compensations amounting to P1 million each from MV Vienna Wood,” it added.
Aside from the families of the missing crewmen and passengers, the Irma Fishing and Trading Inc., owner of FV Liberty 5, will receive a settlement amount of P40 million from Vienna Wood to “cover the cost of the distressed fishing vessel.”
The Coast Guard said the settlement was agreed upon by both sides.
The Liberty 5 was on its way to the Navotas Fish Port in Metro Manila when it was “struck” by the Vienna Wood, which came from Subic Bay and was on its way to Australia. The foreign vessel, manned by Chinese crewmen, is owned by Nomikos Transworld Maritime.
All of the crewmen and the two passengers of the local fishing vessel have not been recovered as their families filed charges against the owner of Vienna Wood and the crewmen of the vessel.
Last month, a local court in Mamburao granted the petition of the Coast Guard to issue a hold departure order against the top officers of Vienna Wood.
The order was issued by Judge Ulysses Delgado of Regional Trial Court, Branch 44 in relation to the criminal charges of reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicide and damage to property filed against Nomikos; ship Captain Zhang Wei Wei; third officer Shi Bin; chief officer Yang Xifeng and second officer Yi Lie.