Bolinao 52 😢

Via Niki Tran

BOLINAO 52 from Right Here in My Pocket on Vimeo.

My dear high school friend & his brother were among the 58 people who died, mostly from starvation during the 37 days stranded at sea on this refugee boat in June 1988. 

They fought thirst, hunger and a US Navy ship reportedly refused to rescue them, forcing the people to starve despite resorting to cannibalism. Only 52 out of the 110 people survived the tragedy and were rescued by Filipino fishermen who brought them to Bolinao Island, Philippines. 

--RIP Đ.

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  Brock Townsend a US Navy ship reportedly refused to rescue them
  
  I pray that is not correct, but the fact that some ship did, is bad enough. :(
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  Niki Tran Brock Townsend Yes, some ship sadly refused to help.
  
  The boat ran into the USS Dubuque that was heading to the Persian Gulf. Captain Alexander Balian, the commander of the ship, provided the refugees with charts, water and food, though, due to miscommunication, he believed there to be only about 60 refugees and thus provided inadequate quantities befor he left to for the Persian Gulf.
  Captain Balian was later court-martialed. In a collectively generous gesture, all 52 survivors submitted their signatures as a petition to pardon Captain Balian. But the U.S. Navy found him guilty of dereliction of duties and stripped him of his duties in 1989. The incident is taught as part of the Navy's course on ethics for ship captains.