ILOILO CITY – A 22-year-old ship apprentice died while trying to save colleagues from drowning on the Iloilo River here on Thursday, June 1.
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) identified the fatality as Sammy Bryle Gonzales, a resident of Zamboanga City and an apprentice of Weesam Express.
Lt. Commander Jansen Benjamin, PCG-6 spokesperson, said the incident occurred Thursday afternoon at the port in Lapuz where a Weesam ship was docked.
Benjamin said that apprentices 24-year-old Aira Salcedo and 23-year-old Marcheryl Salahudin went for a swim.
However, they were carried away by the strong current and shouted for help, prompting to Gonzales to jump into the river and rescue them.
But Gonzales was unable to battle the strong current himself and drowned.
A team from the PCG-Iloilo Station responded and rescued Gonzales.
The victim was taken to Saint Paul’s Hospital past 3 p.m. He died in the hospital less than an hour later.