Australian yachtsman dies, two rescued off Siargao

MANILA, Philippines – Three elderly Australians on a long-distance sailing trip were rescued at sea off the Philippines days after their yacht capsized, but one of them later died, police said Tuesday, December 19.

North Queensland resident Anthony John Mahoney, 73, died in a hospital from dehydration shortly after their December 17 rescue by local fishermen off the southern resort island of Siargao, Surigao del Norte, a police report said.

Mahoney and two others, identified by police as Lawrence Alfred Mallea, 68 and Lionel Peter Ansellin, 74, were sailing from Australia to Subic, a port north of Manila, when large waves sank their vessel, said the report.

“They used the lifesaver and floated in the sea for more or less six days before they were rescued,” said the report quoting one of their rescuers, 27-year-old Juniper Bayang Piosang.

Tropical Storm Urduja (Kai-Tak) brushed past Siargao and struck the central and eastern Philippines last weekend, leaving 43 people dead and dozens missing from floods and landslides.

Piosang told police he found the men floating off Siargao, although it was unclear from the report whether they were in a small dinghy or in the open water.

From there, he took them to a hospital in the city of Tandag in Surigao del Sur, police said. – Rappler.com