The Philippine Coast Guard Sunday set the investigation for the sinking of the MV Catalyn-B off Limbones Island in Cavite last Christmas eve that killed at least five persons, with 22 others still missing.

Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo appointed Commodore Luis Tuason Jr., PCG-NCR district commander, to lead the Special Board of Marine Inquiry that will investigate the MV Catalyn-B’s collision with the giant fishing vessel FB Anatalia that led to its sinking.

Tamayo said the SBMI probe will start on Thursday, January 7, inside the PCG headquarters at Pier 15 in Manila.

Tuason has already summoned the parties involved, especially those from the San Nicholas Shipping Lines, the owner of MV Catalyn-B, and those from Philmariner Inc., operator of FV Anatalia.

Tuason will appoint at least four more members of the board to assist him in the investigation.

Meanwhile, the Coast Guard Sunday suspended retrieval operations for the remaining bodies trapped inside the MV Catalyn-B due to the unavailability of expert divers for the risky task. It will continue diving operations by Wednesday morning.

Capt. Matt Caldwell, a Coast Guard Auxiliary diver, said it is possible that there were more trapped victims inside the wrecked boat aside from a dozen he earlier counted when he first attempted to search the area last December 26.

“We are ready for any chance to retrieve hidden bodies inside the ship especially since there were plenty of chambers or layers inside the Catalyn-B,” Caldwell said.

Last Saturday afternoon, Caldwell’s team retrieved two bodies from the portside (left portion) of the ship. The victims were identified as Alex Masangkay based on identification found in his wallet, and Lea Anne Tejoso, who was identified by relatives based on her clothes.

In Ilocos Norte, the Coast Guard, the Bureau of Customs and the police said they are searching and inspecting the stranded MV Nam Yang 8, a Korean cargo vessel, which ran aground along the shoreline in Barangay Balaoi, Pagudpud town.

The search on the stranded cargo vessel is being held with the assistance of “agents” requested by the ship’s crews.

The 22 Korean crew members were forced to abandon ship when off Claveria town in Cagayan when it suddenly stopped and started listing. All of the Koreans were rescued safely by local residents and are staying with local officials in Barangay Taggat Norte in Claveria.

The ship reportedly came from Aparri, Cagayan and was loaded with 2,165 metric tons of magnetite ore when it met trouble at sea last Thursday on its way to China. It went adrift without any crew towards Ilocos Norte.