Missing Captain’s Last Minute Heroic Act Saves Lives Of 15 Crew Members

The captain of the sunken bulk carrier M/V Devon Bay showed great heroism by ordering his crew to abandon ship as the cargo suffered from liquefaction and the ship was caught in rough weather.

Meanwhile, Captain Elimar Jucal, who was the last person to abandon the ship as it sank, is among the 4 crew members who are still missing.

The 15 survivors of the ship, who were later rescued by the Chinese Coast Guard, revealed their ordeal after they were rescued by the Chinese Coast Guard and brought to Manila by PCG vessel Teresa Magbanua, which reached the port on January 26, 2026.

The crew members turned down requests for media interviews, and their story was revealed by Captain Alvin Dagalea of the Magbanua.

The Singapore-flagged cargo ship sank off Scarborough Shoal due to liquefaction of its cargo, which consisted of 55,000 tonnes of nickel ore, though PCG initially reported it to be iron ore.

Additionally, the waves were quite high, and the moisture content of the cargo caused the weight to shift to the left, which is why it listed.

Two members reportedly died, and their bodies have also been recovered.

PCG chief Ronnie Gil Gavan said that the Captain’s body could still be found.

Vessel BRP Cape San Agustin and the PCG Islander aircraft are involved in the search and rescue for the missing crew and captain.

He also appreciated the Captain’s ‘heroism’ as he did not put himself first, but rather thought of the crew members.

If it were not for his quick thinking, nobody would have survived.

The Chinese Coast Guard then handed over the rescued crew members to the Philippine Coast Guard, around 161 nm west of Tambobong, Pangasinan.

The CCG had sent 5 rescue boats, while the PCG launched 2 rigid-hull inflatable boats to transport the 15 survivors and the 2 dead bodies.

The PCG thanked the CCG for their timely assistance, despite previous unpleasant incidents between the two.

Source: Maritime Shipping News