[WATCH VIDEO INTERVIEW] An Indonesian seaman who jumped off his ship due to personal problems was rescued by a local fisherman in the waters near Comiran Island, Sitio Lumbucan, Barangay Mangsee in Balabac, on Monday afternoon.
The Indonesian was identified in reports from the Coast Guard District Palawan (CGDPal) and Palawan Police Provincial Office (PPO) as 25-year-old Gulung Gali Purba, a resident of Desa Sumberjo, Kec, Gondang, Kab, Nganjuk, East Java, Indonesia.
Purba was rescued by fisherman Wilfredo Dano Doblasin in the Lumbucan area after allegedly jumping from Singaporean vessel MT Cassiopeia where he was working as a mechanic, while it was transiting the Balabac Strait, Balabac Municipal Police Station (MPS) chief P/Lt. Mark Sigue said.
“Ang dahilan ng pagtalon daw niya ay family problem,” Sigue told Palawan News.
Purba was handed over to the MPS by patrolling personnel of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), whose assistance was sought by the local fisherman who rescued him.
Purba told Palawan News that he jumped off his ship not because he wanted to die, but because he needed to get away from his wife and family.
“Before I jumped, I received a long message from my wife on Whatsapp. We’re fighting too much; I felt bad. I feel I cannot be a good husband,” Purba said in a phone interview also Monday.
“I was swimming for almost three hours before the fisherman saved me. It’s not my intention to commit suicide, I just wanted to escape from my family and my wife. I don’t want them to know that I am still alive, but now that my office knows that I am here, and we already talked last night, I guess they (family and wife) already know about my situation. I don’t like to go back home,” he added.
Purba’s vessel was sailing from Sandakan, Malaysia to Singapore when the incident happened, according to CGDPal commander Commo. Angel Viliran.
“Na-rescue po ang indonesian seaman sa vicinity of Comiran Island, 11 nautical miles ang layo mula sa municipality ng Balabac. Mr. Purba was in the good physical condition and was properly turned over to the municipal police station of Balabac for proper disposition,” he said.
