ILOILO CITY (PNA) — The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has been scouring the vast expanse of the Visayan Sea looking for the crew of a motorized pumpboat reported missing for the past 10 days now.

The pumpboat crew have been identified as Onyok Lucio, 55; a certain alias Erning, 40; and a certain Kardo, 45, all residents of Barangay Butongan, Estancia, Iloilo.

Their fate was known only Saturday after a certain Danny Espiloy of Isla de Sapatos off mainland Masbate called on their respective families in Estancia to say that the three did not reach their destination.

The three men reportedly left Estancia last November 18 on board the motorized pumpboat owned by Olivia Paciente, on their way to Isla de Sapatos, Masbate purportedly to meet Espiloy in that islet.

Meanwhile, the PCG in Iloilo has alerted residents of coastal barangays in various municipalities in northern Iloilo to report to the nearest police station any sightings of survivors or capsized vessel in their respective areas for immediate action.

The PCG authorities said the vessel might have capsized amid turbulent seas on their way to Masbate. The families of the three missing persons expressed hope that the trio had survived the ordeal if indeed their vessel capsized.