Missing 13-year-old Baseco boy found dead along Obando coast
At A Glance
- The 13-year-old boy who went missing after reportedly swimming off Baseco Beach in Port Area, Manila, was found dead along the shoreline of Obando, Bulacan, authorities said.
(Photo courtesy of Manila DRRMO)
The 13-year-old boy who went missing after reportedly swimming off Baseco Beach in Port Area, Manila, was found dead along the shoreline of Obando, Bulacan, authorities confirmed on Monday, August 24.
The boy had been the subject of a search and retrieval operation after he was reported missing following the incident in Baseco on Sunday, August 23.
The Manila City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Department (MCDRRMD), together with the Obando Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO), Navotas City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (DRRMO), police and other agencies, took part in the search for the missing child.
Manila rescuers had earlier deployed a thermal drone and an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered enterprise drone to assist in locating the boy across wide and difficult-to-reach areas.
According to Manila disaster officials, the thermal drone was capable of detecting heat signatures, while the AI-powered drone could help identify people and other objects during the search.
The search continued along the waters off Baseco and nearby areas as authorities worked to determine the boy’s whereabouts.
The child’s remains were eventually recovered along the coast of Obando near the boundary with Navotas, according to the Manila rescue team.
Family members who joined the operation later positively identified the remains as those of the missing boy.
The family subsequently decided to have the child’s remains buried, authorities said.
The Manila rescue team expressed gratitude to the Obando MDRRMO and Navotas City DRRMO, as well as the various police and rescue agencies involved in the operation.
Authorities extended their condolences to the boy’s family following the recovery.
The circumstances surrounding the boy’s drowning and death remain under investigation.