8 dead as boat capsizes in Laguna de Bay

CAMP VICENTE LIM, Laguna – What should have been a birthday celebration ended in tragedy after eight persons drowned when their boat capsized in Laguna de Bay off Binangonan, Rizal on Sunday.

Neymariet Mendoza; Malou Gimena, 39; Marilou Papa, 44; Frederick Orteza, 43; Weldy Pareño, Rolino Pareño Jr., Sean Wilfred Orteza, 6, and Jianna Jensen Pareño, 2, were declared dead on arrival at the Margarito Duavit Rizal Provincial Hospital.

The boat operator, Gerson Decrito, who was among those who survived the accident, saved three other passengers. Another passenger managed to swim to the shore. They were taken to the same hospital for treatment.

The victims were on their way to a fishpond to attend the birthday of Decrito’s wife when the accident occurred at around 2 p.m.

Initial investigation showed the boat, which has only one outrigger, tilted and capsized when the passengers took selfies about 50 meters away from their destination in Sitio Wawa, Barangay Libis.

Probers said some of the fatalities were trapped under the capsized boat, which is made of fiberglass.

Personnel of the Philippine Coast Guard and Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council helped in the search and rescue operations.

Chief Inspector Dwight Forte, Binangonan police chief, ordered an investigation to determine whether there was negligence on the part of the boat operator.

While there were life vests on the boat, none of the victims wore them.

Meanwhile, in Pangasinan, a security guard drowned when he tried to save his relative while swimming on a beach in Barangay Nibaliw Narvarte, San Fabian also on Sunday.

Renante Eisma, 36, a resident of Barangay Crystal Cave, Baguio City, was pronounced dead on arrival at Region 1 Medical Center.

Jericho Colting, 13, is now in stable condition at the Medical Centrum.