A 19-year-old man drowned while swimming in waters off Valencia amid inclement weather on Sunday afternoon while his companion, a minor, was rescued.
Corporal Jennifer Cagas of the Valencia Police Station said the fatality, Erwin Estelloro, was at a beach resort in Barangay Cotocotan for his parents’ class reunion when he went missing while swimming in rough seas.
According to Cagas, Estellero and Henzdel Zogalam, 17, were carried by strong waves away from the shore.
“Ang atong klima adtong panahona maot-maot, dagko kaayo og bawod mao nada sila sa sug, nada sa lawod,” Cagas said.
Both teenagers went missing for several minutes but Zogalam was found first and was rescued by other beachgoers.
“Nabantayan ra dayon ning isa pero kadtong isa na namatay na missing kariyo pero pila ra pud nakit-an after pila ka minutes,” Cagas added.
Personnel of the Valencia emergency response team rushed Estelloro to a nearby hospital but he was declared dead on arrival. (A. Doydora)