TARLAC, PHILIPPINES – A group of mountaineers who were trying to cross a river in sitio Baag in the village of San Pedro were instead swept by the strong current, killing five of them.
The five fatalities happened to be in the middle of the river when the water swelled due to heavy raings. They were identified as Mark Raven Villanueva, Rocky Sumalinog, Jose Bernadette Ramirez, Jo Marie San Diego and Dooren Adriano.
The victims were part of the 54 mountaineers that conducted an outreach activity in the area Sunday afternoon, said Tarlac Provincial Police Director Senior Supt. Alex Sintin.
The group were on their way to the town proper to distribute school supplies to children in the Aeta community when the incident occured at around 3 p.m., Sinsin added.
He said a search and rescue operation led by policemen, members of the Philippine Army and personnel of the Tarlac Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) were immediately conducted after receiving reports at around 5 p.m.
Sinsin added that 39 of the 54 mountaineers were rescued in the upland village while three of the casualties were found downstream on a dam at around 6 a.m. Monday. – BusinessNewsAsia.com