Rear Adm. Rene Medina, Naval Forces Western Mindanao (NFWM) commander, said the fishermen were rescued at around 9 a.m. Monday near Pamilikan Island in Mapun, Tawi-Tawi.
Pamilikan is the last island of Mapun town (formerly known as Cagayan de Tawi-Tawi) towards Palawan.
Medina said the fishermen were rescued after the Coastguard Station in Mapun received an information that a fishing boat was battered by big waves spawned by Tropical Storm “Vinta”.
He said one of the 73 fishermen was already dead when the coastguard rescuers arrived while the other one expired upon arrival in Mapun port.
He said troops from the Marine Battalion Landing Team-8 (MBLT-8) assisted the rescued fishermen when they arrived around 10 p.m. Monday at the port of Mapun town.
Dr. Sangkula Ladja of the Integrated Provincial Health Office said 41 of the 71 survivors were admitted at the Cagayan de Tawi-Tawi District Hospital.
Most of the rescued fishermen are from Palawan while the others are from Navotas, Bulacan, Bataan, Malabon, Guimaras, Caloocan City, Cebu, Leyte, Davao and Tawi-Tawi.
The wrecked fishing boat is from Mangseeh Island, Balabak, Palawan. (PNA)