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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider PCG: Bodies of 2 Aeta kids from sunken boat recovered off Mapanuepe Lake in Zambales

PCG: Bodies of 2 Aeta kids from sunken boat recovered off Mapanuepe Lake in Zambales

Published Aug 29, 2026 01:53 pm

At A Glance

  • The bodies of a girl and a boy from the Aeta Indegenous Peoples (IP) community who went missing after a motor banca capsized off Mapanuepe Lake in San Marcelino, Zambales, were recovered Saturday morning, Aug. 29, and identified by their fathers.
  • The children were among 13 passengers aboard the boat that overturned on Aug. 27. Six passengers had earlier been confirmed dead while four survived.
  • The PCG said it was continuing underwater and surface operations for the remaining missing passenger. Strong winds and waves reportedly hit the vessel on its way home to Sitio Lumibao.
A Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) responder brings ashore a motorboat carrying a body bag containing the remains of one of the two Aeta children found dead in Mapanuepe Lake in San Marcelino, Zambales on Aug. 29, 2026. The children were among the 13 people aboard a boat that capsized on Aug. 27 after strong winds and waves struck during their trip. Eight passengers died, four survived, and one remained missing. (Photo: PCG)
A Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) responder brings ashore a motorboat carrying a body bag containing the remains of one of the two Aeta children found dead in Mapanuepe Lake in San Marcelino, Zambales on Aug. 29, 2026. The children were among the 13 people aboard a boat that capsized on Aug. 27 after strong winds and waves struck during their trip. Eight passengers died, four survived, and one remained missing. (Photo: PCG)
Two children who went missing after a boat capsized off Mapanuepe Lake in San Marcelino, Zambales while carrying members of the Aeta Indigenous Peoples (IP) community were found lifeless on Saturday morning, Aug. 29, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said.
PCG spokesperson Commodore Noemie Cayabyab confirmed that the remains of the two minors – a girl and a boy – were positively identified by their fathers after separate recoveries near the incident site off the coast of Barangay Buhawen.
“The female passenger’s body was recovered by residents of Barangay Buhawen at approximately 10:10 a.m., around 50 meters west of the capsizing site. At approximately 11:05 a.m., search and rescue responders recovered the male passenger’s body around 30 meters southeast of the incident site,” she said,
The victims were among the 13 passengers of a motor banca that overturned last Aug. 27.
Six fatalities were earlier recorded, including three adults and three minors, while four survived.
Cayabyab said search operations continue for the remaining missing passenger, an adult.
The passengers were members of the IP community from Sitio Lumibao, just across Barangay Buhawen, who had traveled to the village to receive food, medicine, and vaccinations before heading home when strong winds and waves struck their boat.
“Based on the survivors’ account, sudden gusts of wind and waves hit the vessel during their trip back home,” Cayabyab explained.
PCG divers had earlier conducted underwater searches for those missing.
The spokesperson noted that the lake’s depth and remoteness posed challenges to the operation.
Cayabyab added that the PCG will sustain both underwater and surface search operations, depending on weather and water conditions.
Read: PCG divers search for 3 missing Aeta passengers as boat capsizes off Mapanuepe Lake in Zambales; 6 dead, 4 rescued

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