Cebu City—Two Chinese nationals who did not wear life jackets while on board a “paraw” sailboat died due to drowning at Doljo Point in Panglao Island, Bohol on Sunday, the Philippine Coast Guard-Central Visayas reported on Monday.
Lt. Junior Grade Michael John Encina, spokesperson of PCG-7, said the two fatalities identified as Luo Rennei, 63, male, and Lan Rong, 56, female, were thrown overboard after their sailboat “encountered strong waves.”
Encina said the Coast Guard station in western Bohol received a distress call through channel 16 from Motor Yacht Elizabeth 2 and reported that they were conducting rescue operation to a distressed sailboat at Doljo Point.
“Immediately, Coast Guard Tagbilaran and Coast Guard Panglao personnel deployed their speed boards to assist the rescue operation and to further verify the report,” Encina said in his message sent to the media.
He said the PCG personnel investigated the incident while assisting the crew of the yacht in rescuing eight other Chinese nationals who were Luo and Lan’s companions on board the sailboat.
Rufino Labastida, 46, in charge of paraw operation when the incident happened, told PCG personnel that two Paraws went on a sail at the famous diving site off Panglao Island four days after Typhoon “Ursula” hit some areas in the Visayas.
The sailboat carrying the 10 Chinese tourists was hit by huge waves which led to the victims being thrown overboard.
In the initial report which Encina supplied to media, the two guests were found not wearing life jackets.
The cadavers were turned over to Holy Name Funeral Homes.
“A joint investigation will be conducted by the PCG Bohol and the Bohol Provincial Police for the safety and [to determine] criminal liabilities of the operators,” Encina said.
