Underwatertimes.com News Service - June 26, 2008 14:27 EST

A dolphin rescued a fisherman after his fishing boat capsized Saturday in the wake of typhoon "Frank" off Negros, although both of them died upon reaching the shore of Burias Island in Masbate.

Online news site Visayan Daily Star reported Thursday that a survivor who witnessed the incident recounted the episode Wednesday.

The dolphin rescued Joseph Cesdorio, 34, a fisherman from Cebu who was among the crew members of the F/B Nicole Louise 2, a Cadiz-based fishing boat.

Caratao said he saw a dolphin, which was about the size of an adult human, drag and push Cesdorio, 34, toward Burias Island.

Unfortunately, neither Cesdorio nor the dolphin survived, he added.

The story of the dolphin's heroism was corroborated by other survivors who were aboard the Nicole Louise 2. One of them told local radio reporters that because of what he witnessed, he vowed never to eat dolphin meat again.

The body of Cesdorio, which was retrieved from Burias Island, was among the four fatalities brought to Cadiz City and was claimed by his father who is a resident of San Jose, Cebu.