The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said Monday it has intensified its search and recovery operations of the cargo ship MV Sta. Monica, missing on October 27, 2024, off the coast of Paluan, Mindoro Occidental.

The vessel, operated by Synergy Sea Venture Inc., was last seen five days after leaving Sta. Cruz Port in Taytay, Palawan, with a crew of 10 on board.

MV Sta. Monica left Sta. Cruz Port on October 22 and was bound for Casian in Taytay, Palawan.

On October 27, the ship lost all communication with authorities, triggering an urgent alert from the PCG. Since then, the Coast Guard has worked tirelessly to locate the vessel and its crew.

Also on October 27, fishermen in Mamburao reportedly found 10 empty LPG tanks, which they later sold to a local buyer. The tanks can be connected to the MV Sta. Monica, the PCG said.

The situation took a tragic turn on October 28 when a resident of Barangay Marikit in Paluan reported seeing two floating bodies as well as several dead carabaos about 14 nautical miles offshore.

Another fisherman confirmed the sighting but was unable to reach the area due to rough sea conditions.

Further signs of the ship’s distress emerged on October 29 when a resident of Sitio Dungon, Barangay Tayamaan in Mamburao, reported that his nephew discovered a life jacket marked “MV STA MONICA-A1” and two life buoys unmarked at approximately 10 nautical miles. Paluan. These items were quickly recovered and are now in the custody of the PCG as they gather evidence in the search for MV Sta. Monica.

In response, the PCG deployed air support via the PCG-251 Islander to survey the waters off northeastern El Nido and Mamburao.

The PCG also conducts extensive coastal patrols, closely monitoring the coastline and surrounding waters for any signs of the ship, crew or additional debris. However, search operations are hampered by difficult weather conditions in the region, which limit air and maritime efforts.

The PCG has mobilized local stations and is working in close coordination with Synergy Sea Venture Inc., the vessel’s operator, to expand the search area and continue operations as weather and sea conditions permit.

The Coast Guard called on local communities, fishermen and maritime operators in Mindoro Occidental and neighboring areas to report any sightings that could aid the ongoing search.

As the search enters its second week, families of the missing crew are growing increasingly concerned and have contacted authorities for updates. The fate of the ten crew members, including the ship’s captain, remains unknown, increasing pressure on search teams.

PCG Commander Admiral Artemio Abu issued a statement expressing his commitment to the research.

“We remain hopeful that new evidence will help us locate the MV Sta. Monica and her crew. We urge anyone with relevant information to contact the Coast Guard as we continue to explore all avenues to locate the missing persons” , indicates the press release.