BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Fishermen rescued a BPO employee who floated for approximately an hour in the sea after accidentally falling from a roll on /roll off (RORO) vessel bound for Bacolod City on May 17.
The victim was identified by the Philippine Coast Guard as Michael John Balsomo of Brgy. Balicotoc, Ilog, Negros Occidental.
Commander Joe Luvz Mercurio, PCG provincial chief, disclosed that Balsomo boarded the RORO vessel operated by Tri-star Megalink Inc., which departed Dumangas Port in Iloilo at around 12 noon of May 17.
An hour after, Balsomo, who was hanging around the rear of the ship, accidentally slipped from the RORO vessel railings and fell overboard without being noticed by the crew members, Mercurio said.
Fortunately, Balsomo was later rescued by fishermen identified by the Coast Guard as Romy Palomo, and Mark Calida.
According to his rescuers, Balsomo, a call center agent, was found at least 10 kilometers from the shoreline of Barangay Punta Taytay in Bacolod City.
While he did not sustain injuries, after being checked at the Punta Taytay Health Center where he was brought by his rescuers, Balsomo was apparently shaken by the incident.
Mercurio said Tri-star Megalink Inc. has already coordinated with the PCG regarding the incident.*
