clgsamson
Koya Kap
"Japanese national missing in Batangas
By Marrah Erika Lesaba
Inquirer Southern Luzon
First Posted 13:32:00 03/17/2011
Filed Under: Missing Persons, Tourism, Philippines - Regions
BATANGAS CITY, Philippines—A Japanese tourist has been reported missing since Wednesday afternoon after he went diving off a beach resort in the village of Bagalangit, Mabini, Batangas, police said.
Yutaka Sawaguchi, 41, of Tokyo, Japan, a guest of Sun Beam Marine Sport Corp. went diving shortly before 3 p.m. Wednesday and has not been heard from or seen since then, Senior Superintendent Alberto Supapo, Batangas police director, said Thursday.
Search-and-rescue teams scoured the waters off the since shortly after he disappeared but the search was stopped by 9 p.m. Wednesday due to poor visibility. The search was resumed at daybreak Thursday, Supapo said.
An investigation by the Mabini police showed that Sawaguchi checked in at the resort at 2 p.m. on Wednesday for a fun dive, said Supapo.
After his registration, Sawaguchi immediately went diving together with Akihiro Iyauchi, 38, a Japanese master scuba diver working as a dive instructor at the resort.
When they reached the 30-meter depth just off the beach fronting the resort, the guide called the attention of Sawaguchi by signaling to him that they had already gone to a depth of more than 30 meters.
Sawaguchi reportedly acknowledged the warning, prompting Iyauchi to swim up to a safer depth. But when Iyauchi noted that Sawaguchi was not following him, he made a search.
When the dive guide ran out of oxygen, he surfaced and immediately sought the assistance of the resort staff who, in turn, reported the matter to the Mabini police.
The Mabini police coordinated with the Philippine Coast Guard and the Maritime group of the Philippine National Police which organized a search and rescue operation, said Supapo."
From a friend who was staying at adjacent Diver Resort, they offered to help but strangely the offer was not considered.
By Marrah Erika Lesaba
Inquirer Southern Luzon
First Posted 13:32:00 03/17/2011
Filed Under: Missing Persons, Tourism, Philippines - Regions
BATANGAS CITY, Philippines—A Japanese tourist has been reported missing since Wednesday afternoon after he went diving off a beach resort in the village of Bagalangit, Mabini, Batangas, police said.
Yutaka Sawaguchi, 41, of Tokyo, Japan, a guest of Sun Beam Marine Sport Corp. went diving shortly before 3 p.m. Wednesday and has not been heard from or seen since then, Senior Superintendent Alberto Supapo, Batangas police director, said Thursday.
Search-and-rescue teams scoured the waters off the since shortly after he disappeared but the search was stopped by 9 p.m. Wednesday due to poor visibility. The search was resumed at daybreak Thursday, Supapo said.
An investigation by the Mabini police showed that Sawaguchi checked in at the resort at 2 p.m. on Wednesday for a fun dive, said Supapo.
After his registration, Sawaguchi immediately went diving together with Akihiro Iyauchi, 38, a Japanese master scuba diver working as a dive instructor at the resort.
When they reached the 30-meter depth just off the beach fronting the resort, the guide called the attention of Sawaguchi by signaling to him that they had already gone to a depth of more than 30 meters.
Sawaguchi reportedly acknowledged the warning, prompting Iyauchi to swim up to a safer depth. But when Iyauchi noted that Sawaguchi was not following him, he made a search.
When the dive guide ran out of oxygen, he surfaced and immediately sought the assistance of the resort staff who, in turn, reported the matter to the Mabini police.
The Mabini police coordinated with the Philippine Coast Guard and the Maritime group of the Philippine National Police which organized a search and rescue operation, said Supapo."
From a friend who was staying at adjacent Diver Resort, they offered to help but strangely the offer was not considered.