ZAMBOANGA CITY – Philippine soldiers rescued an Australian yachter off Zamboanga City after drifting for days in waters near strongholds of the pro-ISIS group Abu Sayyaf.
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| Photo released by the Naval Forces Western Mindanao shows rescued Australian adventurer Malcolm McIntyre. |
The adventurer told his rescuers that his boat’s engine malfunctioned and was drifting off Basilan’s Akbar town and eventually rescued near Santa Cruz Island on the evening of September 5 after the Philippine Navy received McIntyre’s distress call.
The Naval Forces Western Mindanao quickly deployed a patrol boat and after hours of search spotted the yacht “Spirit of Argao” and found the Australian boater. “After scouring the reported site of the vessel and nearby islands, the Navy men finally spotted the yacht near Santa Cruz Island. The lone passenger was identified as Malcolm McIntyre, an Australian national, who complained of tiredness and hunger after spending hours at sea attempting to fix the deranged engine of his yacht,” the Naval Forces Western Mindanao said.
The yacht was towed to the naval base
here and McIntyre was brought to Camp Navarro General Hospital where he
underwent medical check-up, and later fed.
McIntyre was handed over to the Bureau of Immigration. “Mister McIntyre is undergoing an interview by local immigration officials. If all goes well, he shall be allowed to continue his voyage to Cebu as soon as his yacht is restored in good condition,” the Naval Forces Western Mindanao said.
McIntyre is the second foreign yachter rescued this year. Last June, the Philippine Navy also rescued a Swedish-Iranian boater, Amir Sarkarifari, off Basilan’s Mohammad Ajul after his vessel malfunctioned and drifted near Sibago Island.
Sakarifari was sailing to Brunei from Guam when his yacht’s engine malfunctioned and drifted to Basilan, one of five provinces under the Bangsamoro autonomous region. (Mindanao Examiner)
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