By Cheryl Ong
A KAYAKING expedition in the Philippines by a group of eight Singaporeans and their friends threatened to go awry when two of them went missing for six hours on Saturday.
The 11-strong group was at the islands off the province of Batanes, in northern Philippines, and had intended to start off at Sabtang Island and paddle some 12km to neighbouring Basco Island.
But strong winds and choppy waters wreaked havoc on their plans, causing two to go missing and another three to be swept some 10km off their intended course. Fortunately, a combination of quick-thinking on the part of fellow kayakers to alert a cargo ferry and good fortune ensured all were unharmed.
'Everybody's okay now, we're all relieved to get back to shore safely,' Mr Chan Tau Chou, one of the paddlers, told The Straits Times in a phone interview from Basco on Monday.
He had been joined by fellow Singaporeans Sim Cher Huey, Carol Leung, Karen Chao, Ong Yong Hui, Amos Sim, David Cho and Khor Yong Kok; Australian Kathy Wong; Indonesian Umartono Bimo; and Malaysian Moira Khaw on the 10-day trip.
Mr Chan, 35, a documentary producer based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, said the plan was to set off last Wednesday.