By Emmanuel T. Erediano
Variety News Staff

FIVE fishermen, including three participating in a fishing derby, were rescued in separate incidents over the weekend by the Department of Public Safety’s Boating Safety Section.
The Boating Safety officers carried out the first rescue operation at 2:58 p.m., Saturday, following a report about a distressed vessel spotted 10 miles west of Saipan.
The Zodiac III team arrived in the area where a white 19-foot vessel named Trophy Bayliner was located.
Rescued were the boat operator, Dennis Villagomez, and his team mates Ed Diaz and Robert Villagomez.
Villagomez and his companions were participants in the 2007 Mahi-Mahi Fishing Derby.
They were in good physical condition when found.
An investigation showed that the derby contestants were reeling in a fish when the boat’s engine died.
Villagomez called for assistance when they could not re-start the engine.
The following day, at 11:49 a.m., two fishermen who stranded 100 yards north of Banzai Cliff called for help.
Boating Safety and the Emergency Management Office launched Zodiac III again and recovered the distressed vessel — a yellow fiberglass boat with a 140-horse power engine.
The Boating Safety officers rescued John Demapan and Larry Sebaklin who were found to be in good condition.
The boat left the fishing base in Garapan at 10:30 a.m. to go fishing near the Banzai Cliff line. They were passing by the cliff line when their engine died.