BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – An employee for a business process outsourcing (BPO) company was rescued after falling out of a roll-on/roll-off (roro) vessel bound for Bacolod City on Wednesday afternoon.
Authorities identified the employee as 28-year-old Michael John Balsomo of Sitio Proper A, Barangay Balicotoc, Ilog, Negros Occidental.
He boarded the roro vessel operated by Tri-star Megalink Inc. which left the Dumangas Port in Iloilo province at around 12 p.m.
Around 1 p.m. as the vessel was already half-way to Bacolod City’s BREDCO Port, Balsomo was hanging around the rear of the ship and accidentally slipped from the railing and fell overboard, according to Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Northern Negros Occidental station chief Commander Joe Luviz Mercurio.
The vessel’s crew and the other passengers did not notice the fall.
Balsomo floated for at least an hour before fishermen Romy Palomo and Mark Calida found him and picked him up in their small fishing boat.
According to the fishermen, Balsomo was some 10 kilometers from the shoreline of Barangay Punta Taytay, Bacolod City when they found him.
Balsomo finally reached land around 6 p.m. and was immediately brought to the Barangay Punta Taytay health center where he was checked by emergency responders.
Balsomo did not sustain injuries but was “highly stressed” and wished to go home, said Mercurio.
Tri-star Megalink Inc. already coordinated with the PCG over the incident, he added.
As of this writing, it was unclear if Balsomo was able to get his belongings back from the roro vessel./PN
