Filipino seafarer gets award for saving Swedish rescuer

**j_avonni** · April 18th, 2007 08:51 AM

Filipino seafarer gets award for saving Swedish rescuer

By Jerome Aning
Inquirer
Last updated 09:40pm (Mla time) 04/17/2007

MANILA, Philippines -- A Filipino seaman, who saved the life of a rescue worker in Sweden five months ago, was given an award for his heroism by a Swedish foundation.

The Foundation of the Swedish Seafarers House honored Jesus Sumook during simple rites at the Department of Labor and Employment on Monday.

Sumook gave up his oxygen mask to a rescue worker who had been weakened by noxious fumes while responding to an emergency on board the ship, Saga Spray, where the Filipino seaman worked.

"It was the only way to keep him alive. He was clearly dying and I couldn't just leave him," Sumook said.

Sumook, 35, a native of Salcedo, Eastern Samar, and a seaman for 10 years, received 25,000 Swedish kronas (about P170,000) as well as a plaque from the foundation.

Labor Secretary Arturo Brion, Swedish Ambassador Annika Markovic and foundation chair Christer Themner all praised Sumook for his exceptional sense of duty, saying the seaman had set an example for the 500 Filipino seafarers working on Swedish ships.

Sumook, who looked happy and proud of the recognition, said he would save the reward money for the future needs of his two young daughters, Jeannelle and Jeannessie.

The ship emergency took place on November 16, 2006, while Saga Spray was docked at the harbor of Helsingborg in southern Sweden.

A fellow seaman, Ferdinand Pascual, also a Filipino, had descended a three-story-high shaft that led to the ship's cargo hold. He collapsed there, however, for unknown reasons.

The port authorities sent a three-member rescue team to help Pascual. It was later learned that the hold was filled with poisonous carbon monoxide gas.

The rescuers tried to get out of the shaft, but one was left behind, too weak to climb out.

Learning about the emergency through the on-board radio, Sumook went to the ship's fire station, grabbed a breathing apparatus and tried to rescue the trapped men.

He reached the hold and found Pascual who was already dead. Next he found the trapped rescue worker who was barely conscious. He tried to carry him out but he was too heavy.

Sumook left his oxygen mask with the rescuer and started climbing out to get help. He became dizzy and weak because of the poisoned air.

"I was so afraid I wouldn’t get out alive," said Sumook, who managed to climb out but was hospitalized for half a day.

Despite his near-death experience, Sumook said he was going back to pursue his seafaring career.

He said his dream was to become a ship officer someday.