Missing captain hailed as ‘hero’ in cargo ship sinking off Scarborough

MANILA, Philippines — As a cargo ship capsized off Scarborough (Panatag) Shoal, its still-missing captain ordered his crew to jump ship amid liquefaction and bad weather, an act the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) hailed as “heroism.”

This account of Captain Elimar Jucal’s instructions was relayed by the 15 survivors of the sunken M/V Devon Bay, who were brought to Manila by the BRP Teresa Magbanua, which arrived at port early Monday.

The survivors declined interviews, so Captain Alvin Dagalea of the Teresa Magbanua relayed their ordeal after their turnover from the Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) to the PCG.

“The other crew jumped based on the captain’s instruction to abandon the ship,” Dalagea said in an interview with reporters. “He was the last to get out of the ship.”

“The captain was the last to leave before it sank,” he added. “After that, they did not see him again.”

Jucal is among the four Devon Bay crew members still missing, while the bodies of two deceased crew members were also brought aboard the Teresa Magbanua.

READ: PCG takes custody of 15 survivors, 2 deceased crew from M/V Devon Bay

Inspiration

PCG chief Adm. Ronnie Gil Gavan expressed optimism that Captain Jucal could still be found, as the armed service’s BRP Cape San Agustin and the PCG Islander aircraft remain deployed in search and rescue operations for Jucal and three other missing crew members.

Gavan also hailed Jucal’s “heroism,” calling it “an inspiration to every marine.”

“I want to highlight the heroism of the captain,” he said. “He did not neglect his fellow crew members.”

“It is basic that the captain should be the last to leave his ship,” Gavan added. “And he demonstrated this as expected.”

READ: PCG thanks China for crew rescue, continues search for missing

Bad weather, ‘liquefaction’ blamed

According to Gavan, initial findings suggest that the “liquefaction” of its cargo and bad weather caused the capsizing of M/V Devon Bay, which Dagalea said occurred 60 nautical miles northeast of Panatag Shoal.

Citing the crew, Gavan said the vessel was carrying 55,000 tons of nickel ore. Last week, the PCG had initially reported the cargo as iron ore.

“The moisture content of the cargo caused the weight to shift to the left, or port side, which is why it listed,” Gavan said.

“And the weather was unfavorable; the waves were quite high,” he added.

‘Smooth’ transfer from CCG

Thanks to their split-second decision to jump overboard, the survivors were later rescued by a CCG ship. 

They were then received during a turnover operation conducted between the PCG and CCG approximately 161 NM west of Tambobong, Pangasinan.

Dagalea said the CCG deployed five rescue boats, while the PCG launched two rigid-hull inflatable boats to transport the 15 survivors and two cadavers.

“The transfer was very smooth; both sides were very cooperative,” Dagalea said. “In fact, we (CCG) thanked them for their timely response.”

This stands in contrast to previous incidents at Panatag Shoal, which were marked by tensions between the CCG and PCG, including the Aug. 11, 2025, collision involving a CCG vessel and a People’s Liberation Army-Navy warship.

Beijing claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, but Manila brought the matter to an international court in 2013, a year after the Panatag Shoal standoff.

The landmark international tribunal ruling in 2016 affirmed the Philippines’ sovereign rights over the area. The ruling also recognized Panatag Shoal as a traditional fishing ground for the Philippines, China, and Vietnam.

Despite this, China has continued to enforce what experts call an “exclusion zone” around the shoal, limiting access to Filipino fisherfolk since its effective takeover in 2012 after the standoff.

However, Gavan emphasized that saving lives takes precedence over territorial and jurisdictional disputes.

“The lives of the people are important,” he said. “It knows no borders.” /mcm