12-year-old Girl Earns Praise After Swimming For 6 Hours to Save Her Family in Antique
A 12-year-old girl earned praises and admiration online after swimming for six hours to save her family in Antique.
Cherry Ann Mateo shared the heartbreaking story after surviving the sea accident together with the other passengers of the motorboat traveling near Batbatan Island. According to her, the two gantas of rice had been sent by her grandmother so their family would have food to eat once they arrived home.
The group was already in the middle of the sea when strong winds and huge waves suddenly hit their motorboat. Because of the rough conditions, the vessel eventually capsized, leaving the passengers struggling in the water.
Cherry Ann recalled that she had to remove her bag because it became too heavy while she was trying to survive in the sea. Inside the bag were personal belongings, cooked food, and the rice meant for their family.
They tried tying the bag to the side of the overturned boat to stop it from drifting away, but the strong waves broke the rope and carried everything away.
Despite the frightening situation, Cherry Ann showed great courage. Reports said the young girl swam for almost six hours just to seek help for her family and the other passengers. Her bravery later helped rescuers locate and save everyone involved in the incident.
The accident happened on Wednesday (May 6, 2026), after the motorboat overturned near Batbatan Island. Rescue teams continued searching throughout the night. At around 10 p.m., rescuers found one of the passengers floating several kilometers away from Maniguin Island.
Two women were later rescued near the waters of Libertad in the early hours of the morning. Authorities confirmed that all four passengers survived by holding on to the overturned motorboat while waiting for rescue teams to arrive.
The social media users expressed their admiration for the young woman:
