The Philippine Coast Guard confirmed Wednesday, May 4, that the five children who went missing after swimming at Taal Lake in Balete, Batangas have drowned.
The PCG identified the fatalities as Sherin Ashtrid Dela Rosa, eight; Jaime Rose Ann Jacutan, 12; Kurtney Prian Presas, eight; Rodney Mark Dela Rosa, seven; annd Kiel Zackary Pasaron, 10.
Dela Rosa’s body was retrieved around 5:05 p.m. Tuesday at 10 meters away from the shoreline in Barangay Looc and approximately 10 feet underwater. Meanwhile, Jacutan was found 10 minutes later in the same location.
Search and rescue operations resumed on Wednesday morning and authorities recovered the body of Presas around 7:45 a.m. approximately 25 feet underwater and 10 meters away from the first two fatalities.
Five minutes later, Dela Rosa's body was retrieved in the same location.
At 9:47 a.m., search and retrieval teams found Pasaron's body in the area.
All five fatalities were residents of Barangay Toribio in Lipa City, Batangas.
It turns out that the five children went to Taal Lake to swim amid the summer heat on Tuesday morning. Swimming at Taal Lake is prohibited by the authorities.
The PCG received a report that they went missing around 12 noon, triggering a massive search and rescue operation.