CEBU CITY – A 15-year-old boy went missing after he went swimming while the island of Cebu was placed under a storm signal due to severe tropical storm “Kristine.”
A SEA ambulance scours the waters of Barangay Punta Engaño, Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu to find a boy who went missing after swimming on Wednesday, Oct. 23. (Photo from Mayor Junard Chan Facebook)
The incident happened in Barangay Punta Engaño, Lapu-Lapu City past 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 23.
Storm signal No. 1 was hoisted over Cebu when the boy identified as Sean Clinton Pedrosa went swimming in Sitio Malingin.
According to the police, waves were strong when the boy decided to go swimming. Police said the boy did not resurface after jumping into the water.
Lapu-Lapu Mayor Junard Chan said a search and rescue operation was immediately conducted but efforts to find the boy went futile.
The search and rescue operation had to be stopped at 8:30 p.m. for the safety of the rescuers. The operation resumed early Thursday morning.
A group of divers joined in the operation. Rescuers tried to use drones to locate the boy but the strong winds made it impossible to use the device, said Chan.
“We have divers who searched the area where the boy jumped but he was still not found,” said Chan.
Chan appealed to the public to refrain from swimming at sea when the weather is bad to prevent untoward
Incidents.
Also on Wednesday, a cargo vessel ran aground in Minglanilla town, southern Cebu.
Ensign Abel Lomboy, information officer of the Philippine Coast Guard District Central Visayas (PCG-7), said strong waves caused the vessel’s anchors to break.
The strong current brought LCT Golden Bella to about 100 meters away from the shores of Sitio Noah. The vessel, which came from Tawi-Tawi, had no cargoes on board when it ran aground.
No one was injured during the incident.
The PCG-7 will deploy divers to inspect and determine if there is some damage in the hull that may cause an oil spill.
The vessel will be towed during high tide and when the weather becomes favorable, the PCG-7 said.