By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA — What began as an ordinary fishing trip became a three-day fight for survival for a 31-year-old fisherman who drifted helplessly at sea after a discarded fishing net disabled his boat’s propeller.
Robin Bondol Trinidad left Sitio Abagaten in Barangay Macaboboni, Agno, at around 3 p.m. on Aug. 13, expecting to return after a routine day of fishing.
Instead, he spent three days and two nights alone in the West Philippine Sea, battling heavy rain, darkness and strong winds while desperately trying to find his way back to land.
The trouble began when Trinidad was about 18 nautical miles from Bolinao. A discarded fishing net became entangled in the boat’s propeller, forcing the engine to stop.
The weather soon turned against him.
Heavy rain swept across the area, reducing visibility and making it nearly impossible for Trinidad to determine his position or identify the coastline.
With the engine unable to move the boat, he relied on a paddle and continued pushing himself through the water while hoping that another fishing vessel would find him.
“I just continuously paddled, hoping and praying that another fishing boat would find me,” Trinidad recalled.
Trinidad had brought only enough food for one or two meals.
On his first day adrift, he managed to catch flying fish and squid, giving him something to eat after his packed provisions began running out.
But once those were gone, he had little choice but to rely on rainwater.
“I survived on the little food I had packed, and on flying fish and squid that I caught on the first day. When these ran out, I just drank rainwater,” he said.
He spent two nights at sea, surrounded by darkness as rain continued to pound his small motorized fishing boat.
The fisherman said he kept praying that he would either reach land or be spotted by another vessel.
The situation changed early Sunday, Aug. 16, when the rain eased and the skies began to clear.
Through the fading mist, Trinidad spotted Barangay Caruan in Pasuquin, Ilocos Norte.
He then restarted the boat’s motor, which fortunately remained functional despite the ordeal, and headed toward shore.
Upon reaching land, he immediately sought help from residents and explained that he had come from Agno but had lost his way because of the severe weather.
Police and health workers in Pasuquin attended to Trinidad and provided medical assistance. He was later brought to the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office for additional support.
Although Caruan was about 145 to 150 nautical miles, or roughly 270 to 280 kilometers, north-northwest of Agno, Trinidad’s actual route was likely much longer because he had been carried by currents and winds rather than traveling directly toward the Ilocos Norte coast.
At around 1 a.m. on Aug. 17, Trinidad began his return journey to Agno aboard a truck provided by the Pasuquin local government. His blue fishing boat was transported with him.
He arrived in Agno at around 9 a.m., where his family and fellow residents were waiting.
For Trinidad, the homecoming ended an ordeal he said he had never experienced in more than two decades as a fisherman.
“I have been a fisherman for more than 20 years, and this is the first time I experienced such a scary situation alone at sea,” he said.
ia/xf
