Iloilo City—Seven members of the Boracay Dragon Force Team died while 14 others survived when their boat capsized about 200 to 300 meters off Lingganay Resort in Barangay Manocmanoc in Malay, Aklan, Wednesday morning.
The 21-man team boarded their dragon boat at 7:15 a.m. from Barangay Balabag for the White Beach for their training.
A report by the Public Information Unit of the municipality of Malay said one of the survivors said the sea was calm when they departed from Balabag, but rough waves gradually filled the boat after the reef.
“The boat sank, and the paddlers were holding on to the boat. However, strong waves and current made the boat roll over making it unstable and displacing the paddlers,” the report added.
The report, attested to by Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer II Catherine O. Fulgencio, said the victims were not wearing life vests and one of them did not know how to swim.
Based on initial reports provided to Coast Guard District Western Visayas Commander Allan Victor T. dela Vega, the rowing team was preparing for a Taiwan competition.
A spot report by the Boracay Tourist Assistance Center of the Malay Municipal Police Station said seven members of the team were brought to different hospitals and clinics in Malay, Aklan but were declared dead on arrival.
Fatalities were Mark Vincent Navarette, Comar R. Acob, Maricel Tan, Johann Tan, Richel Montoya, Antonette Supranes, and John Vince Natividad.
Of the 14 survivors, two are Chinese and Russian nationals. The survivors were identified as Yhen Aytona, Mark Baccay, Kenneth Bandalan, Jao Buenaventura, Julia Kurbaniizova, Robel Licerio, Janice Lumbo, Lani Ordas, Edwin Paradas, Marc Sabado, Kathleen Sabado, Jayrold Violanda, Maggie Xie, and Von Navarrosa, the founder of the Dragon Force.
The Coast Guard said an investigation is underway.
“This is a dragon boat team, so the assumption is that they know how to swim,” PCG spokesperson Capt. Armand Balilo told CNN Philippines in Filipino. “That’s why we are going to look into the circumstances of the incident.”