Coast Guard Lt Commander Alvin Dagalea said today that two fishermen survived last night's attack off the coast near Zamboanga city in Mindanao province by jumping into the water as the gunmen started shooting.
The two swam toward a nearby island and were rescued by a passing motorboat.
Dagalea, commander of Zamboanga's coast guard station, says vessels are searching for the missing fishermen and will tow their boat to its homeport.
Abu Sayyaf militants are suspected to be behind a string of ship attacks in southern Philippine waters.