Ilonggo Seafarer Dies in Capsized Chinese Vessel

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor

A young seafarer from Iloilo was set for a surprise homecoming to his family, but this turned into heartbreak after he perished in the capsizing of a Chinese-flagged sand dredger off the coast of Occidental Mindoro on April 15.

Mark Dave Calopez, 24, a resident of Leon, Iloilo, was serving as an engine cadet aboard the MV Hong Hai 16, a Chinese dredging vessel transporting sand for reclamation projects in Manila Bay.

The vessel was carrying 7,400 cubic meters of sand when it lost stability and overturned near Barangay Malawaan in Rizal town.

The capsizing claimed the lives of at least six crew members, including Calopez.

Of the 25 individuals on board—comprising both Filipino and Chinese nationals—14 were rescued, while several others remain missing.

Calopez had been working on the vessel for six months as part of his apprenticeship after graduating in 2023 from St. Therese MTC Colleges in Tigbauan.

His father, Vicente Calopez, told K5 News FM Iloilo that his son had planned to surprise them by returning home the following week.

“He was about to go home. He was about to surprise us, and then this happened,” he said, recounting their last video call on April 12—unaware it would be their final conversation.

For a brief moment, hope flickered in the Calopez household when they heard a survivor bore the same name as their son, but it was later confirmed to be someone else from New Lucena.

It was through a Facebook Live video of the retrieval operations that the family painfully recognized Mark Dave’s body.

Vicente said his son’s second mate also confirmed his death.

“When it is your child, just by the body’s structure, you’ll know immediately that it is him,” he said.

Mark Dave’s body was recovered by the Philippine Coast Guard on April 17.

He was found inside a cabin on the vessel’s main deck.

Vicente shared that despite earning a meager monthly allowance of PHP3,000 during his apprenticeship, Mark Dave regularly sent half of it to support his family.

His elder brother, a member of the Philippine Coast Guard, assisted him in pursuing his maritime education.

His teachers helped arrange his shipboard training, which eventually led him to board the ill-fated vessel.

The owner of MV Hong Hai 16 has contracted a professional salvor to conduct salvage operations.

The salvor’s equipment is expected to arrive on-site by Monday, April 21.