ILOILO City – A dragon boat capsized in the waters of Boracay Island yesterday morning. Seven rowers died.
The 21-member Boracay Dragon Force Team was practicing for an international competition in Taiwan. At around 7:15 a.m. big waves rocked the boat until it capsized some 300 meters from the shoreline of Barangay Manoc-manoc.
Fourteen members of the team survived. Rescuers took them to the Saint Gabriel Hospital.
The fatalities were Mark Vincent Navarette, Comar Acob, Maricel Tan, Johann Tan, Richel Montoya, Antonette Supranes, and John Vince Natividad.
Of the 14 who survived, two were Chinese and Russian nationals. The survivors were 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 Boracay Dragon Force.
“Our rescuers immediately responded,” according to Police Major Jess Baylon, Bocaray police chief, in coordination with the Philippine Coast Guard and Philippine National Police Maritime Group.
A report from the Public Information Unit of the municipality of Malay, Aklan which has jurisdiction over Boracay cited one of the survivors saying the sea was calm when they set out to see, “However, after the reef, rough waves gradually filled the boat.”
“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 by Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer II Catherine Fulgencio, added that those who drowned were not wearing life vests.
The Philippine Dragon Boat Federation (PDBF) sent a statement of sympathy.
“(We join) the Boracay dragon boat community in praying for the eternal repose of the souls of the departed dragon boat paddlers and for the immediate recuperation of those injured in the dragon boat accident.
“While we are all aware of the perils that inevitably go with dragon boating as an extreme water sport, the PDBF advocates and gives utmost priority to safety. We encourage the use of personal floating devices during training and require the wearing of the same in local regattas to make sure we avoid accidents that lead to unnecessary loss of life or injury. We also educate our member clubs proper safety protocols in case of capsizing or sinking of boats.”/PN
