Month after cargo ship with Indians sank off Philippines coast, one body found, says Sushma Swaraj
Sixteen of the 26 people who were on board have been rescued, and a search is on for the others.
A month after MV Emerald Star with 26 Indians sank off the coast of Philippines in the Pacific Ocean, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Saturday said an unidentified body with a life jacket marking Emerald Star was found on October 28.
The 33,205-tonne Emerald Star had sunk in the Pacific Ocean after a typhoon on October 13. Sixteen of the 26 Indians on board were rescued. The Indian Navy had joined Philippines and Japan in the rescue operations to find the missing sailors.
Swaraj said in a tweet that the Philippines Coast Guard had now informed New Delhi that an unidentified body was found on October 28 on the island city of Banua. However, since the body was decomposed, it was buried on the island.
“I have asked Indian Ambassador in Manila that the body be exhumed and brought to Manila for identification by DNA,” Swaraj said on Twitter.
MV Emerald Star with 26 Indians sank on 13 October 2017. While 16 Indians were rescued, remaining 10 could not be found. There was extensive search by Japan and Philippines which was joined by Indian Navy. /1
— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) November 18, 2017
We continued search for missing Indians on nearby islands. Philippine Coast Guard have now informed us that an unidentified decomposed body of with a life jacket marking Emerald Star was found on 28th October 2017 on island city of Banua. /2
— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) November 18, 2017
Since the body was decomposed, it was buried there. /3
— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) November 18, 2017
I have asked Indian Ambassador in Manila that the body be exhumed and brought to Manila for identification by DNA. /4
— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) November 18, 2017