ILOILO City – A 15-year-old boy drowned while swimming in the Iloilo River near Drilon Bridge in Barangay Rizal, La Paz district, on Monday afternoon, August 25.
The victim, identified as alias “AJ,” a resident of Barangay MacArthur, La Paz, reportedly went swimming with two friends around 4 p.m. despite warnings that he did not know how to swim. According to one of his companions, they tried to stop him from venturing into deeper waters but he refused.
When AJ struggled, his friends attempted to rescue him but failed due to the river’s strong current and depth. Search and rescue operations were immediately launched by authorities.
At around 6 p.m., after nearly two hours of search, AJ’s body was found. Witnesses said the victim’s lips had already turned dark and he was unresponsive when pulled from the water.
He was rushed to St. Paul’s Hospital Iloilo, but the attending physician declared him dead on arrival. His family, including his father who serves as a barangay kagawad in MacArthur, confirmed the tragic incident.
Following the incident, authorities reminded the public anew, especially minors, to exercise caution and avoid swimming in rivers without safety measures, noting the risks posed by strong currents./PN
