3 tourists rescued after 2 days in Philippine sea

ILOILO, Philippines (AP) - Two German tourists and an Australian have been rescued after drifting at sea for two days, the Philippine Coast Guard reported.

Coast Guard officer Venerando Celiz said on Friday big waves capsized the small boat the tourists were in, and a passing ship found them clinging to the vessel. The Filipino skipper who attempted to swim ashore for help remained missing.

They were heading from Banton Island to nearby Marinduque Island, about 25km away, when the boat capsized in the Sibuyan Sea, in central Philippines.

German Ralph Harald Auer, his son Thomas, and Australian Joshua Marsh arrived on Friday in Iloilo, where the ship that picked them up docked. They are all residents of Melbourne, Australia, and were vacationing in Marinduque, home province of Mr Auer's wife.