Stranded fisherman rescued 'after hit-and-run sea accident' off Philippine coast

A stranded fisherman was rescued while his brother is still missing after an alleged hit-and-run accident off the Philippine coast.

Roland Marientes, 37, and his brother Roldan Marientes, 23, were asleep on their fishing boat when a still-unidentified vessel reportedly struck them off Burias Island in Masbate province at around 2 am local time on August 10.

The pair managed to jump overboard before the crash, holding onto each other's hands as they floated in the dark ocean. However, they were separated by the strong currents.

Passengers onboard the MV Virgen De Penafancia XII ferry later spotted Roland drifting at sea, alive but exhausted, at around 9 am. He was not wearing a life vest as he swam toward the vessel, where he was pulled up by the crew.

In a statement, the Philippine Coast Guard said it launched a search for the missing Roldan.

The statement said: 'The Coast Guard Sub-Station (CGSS) San Pascual in Masbate continues search and rescue (SAR) operations and coordinates with neighboring barangays, including local fisherfolk, for possible sightings of the missing fisherman.'

Meanwhile, Roland, recounting the incident, said: 'Our boat was tied to a buoy. We fell asleep, but when we woke up, we were shocked to see a large ship heading right towards us even though we had our lights and blinkers on.

'I hope they feel guilty. If they saw our lights, why did they crash into us? We were just trying to make a living at sea.'