Coast Guard ends search for Amejara casualties
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 19 February) – The Coast Guard District Southeastern Mindanao (CGDSEM) on Wednesday announced that it has terminated search and retrieval operations for the remains of the nine missing passengers and crew members of M/Bca Amejara.
The announcement came 15 days after the Coast Guard shifted to retrieval operations and exactly one month after the Amejara sank after encountering rough sea conditions while traversing the Davao Gulf.
“Following a comprehensive assessment and upon completion of all planned and extended search efforts, CGDSEM officially concluded active operations on 18 February 2026,” Commodore Philipps Soria, commander of the CGDSEM, announced during a press conference streamed live over the agency’s Facebook page.
Soria said that during the extended search, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) deployed all available surface, aerial, and coastal monitoring assets across designated search areas, including projected drift paths, to locate the missing individuals.
Upon termination of retrieval operations, only six bodies had been recovered, while nine people are still missing. A crew member was the lone survivor.
According to the list released by the Coast Guard, the passengers included in the manifest and on board during the incident were Porferio Lanorias Jr., John Julius Alcazar, Steven Ang Tan, Hector Emberga, Earlan Uyking, Anthony Banzali, Mark Levi Apayo Lao, Herwin Tan, and Ace Cortez.
The passengers who were on board but not listed in the manifest were Reymark Napuli, Ranil Florino, and Rogelio Gomez.
The crew members were Patrocinio F. Genita III, the boat captain; Homer Bordado Bolasa; Christian Genita II; and Christopher Tecson Bulig, the lone survivor.
Of the six bodies recovered, the forensics team from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)-Davao, through confirmation by the families, was able to identify the remains of Porferio, Florino, Alcazar, and Emberga.
Soria said the Coast Guard will continue to receive and act upon “any verified information, credible reports, or recovered materials possibly related to M/Bca Amejara” despite the termination of active search operations.
“To the families and loved ones of those who remain missing, CGDSEM conveys its deepest sympathies and unwavering solidarity. We acknowledge the profound pain and uncertainty brought by this tragedy,” he said.
He added that “every available resource and measure was undertaken with diligence, compassion, and respect for your loved ones.”
M/Bca Amejara left port without a special permit from the Maritime Industry Authority last January 17.
Soria said the boat captain misdeclared in the master’s declaration of safe departure that its destination was Governor Generoso, Davao Oriental, an area outside its authorized franchise.
He said the investigating team learned that the boat headed for Pasig de Byuda, a fishing destination located outside the Philippines’ 12-nautical-mile territorial sea.
The official urged all vessel operators and the maritime community to prioritize safety at sea by strictly adhering to “maritime laws, safety regulations, and compliance with voyage planning procedures, and strict monitoring of weather advisories issued by competent authorities.”
According to him, the Coast Guard’s Marine Casualty Investigation team, tasked with probing into the “factual, causal, and recommendatory safety improvements of our practices,” found that the boat violated maritime regulations through unauthorized departure and non-compliance with the PCG clearance.
He said statements from the lone survivor indicate that Amejara “had undergone structural upgrades, including the construction of an upper deck equipped with passenger amenities and heavy electrical appliances powered by generator sets.”
“The reported increase in vertical height and presence of additional superstructure may have adversely affected the vessel’s stability characteristics, particularly its center of gravity,” he said.
Soria said additional cargoes might have affected the boat’s weight distribution. Substantial fuel supplies, fuel drums, fuel containers, scuba tanks, fishing equipment, and coolers containing alcohol were loaded before departure, he added.
He quoted Bulig as saying that the passengers and some of the crew members also consumed alcoholic beverages on board the vessel.
“The surviving crew stated that alcoholic beverages were consumed by all passengers during the voyage and that some crew members also drank alcohol in limited amounts. While the skipper was reportedly not under the influence of alcohol, the presence and consumption of alcohol onboard may have had implications on the situational awareness,” he said.
He added that the vessel sank after encountering severe sea conditions “characterized by huge and continuous waves in the vicinity waters of Cape San Agustin.”
“Due to the deteriorating sea conditions, a decision was made to return to Santa Ana port. While maneuvering to reverse course, the vessel was struck by strong waves on its starboard side, causing a heavy list and subsequent loss of stability. The vessel eventually foundered and completely submerged,” he said. (Antonio L. Colina IV/MindaNews)
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