By Cherrie Anne E. Villahermosa
Variety News Staff

A DISTRESSED vessel was rescued by the Department of Public Safety on Sunday afternoon.
But the vessel was not immediately located by the Department of Public Safety’s rescue boat, the Zodiac III, due to rough waters and strong winds.
Acting DPS spokesman Sgt. Thomas Blas said the Boating Safety Office received a call about a distressed vessel from retired Capt. Pedro Muna on Sunday at 4:45 pm.
Muna reported that the vessel was about 3 to 4 miles west of Managaha.
DPS launched the Zodiac III to conduct a search and rescue operation.
At about 7 p.m., the distressed vessel was sighted after its operator shot of an aerial distress flare.
The flare was spotted approximately five miles from the location of Zodiac III.
There were three men on board the distressed vessel —Mario M. Reyes, Raymond DLG. King and Amado Verdaguer.
The three were found to be in good condition, the DPS report stated.
The 17-foot white fiberglass vessel with a 115 HP engine was towed back to Smiling Cove Marina and inspected by Boating Safety Section Officer David Rabauliman who found it to be in compliance.
No citation was issued against the operator of the vessel which was heading south toward Managaha when its engine died.
The crew attempted to restart the engine but could not do, prompting them to call for rescue.