ANTIQUE – A 56-year-old fisherman drowned off the coast of Barangay Diclum in Tobias Fornier, Antique hours after attending a birthday celebration on a nearby island on Sunday, October 11.
Authorities identified the victim as alias “Balintong,” a resident of Barangay Fatima in the same town.
Initial reports indicated that the victim traveled to Nogas Island at around 10 a.m. on Sunday alongside relatives to attend a birthday celebration. The group returned from the island and docked their boat in Barangay Diclum at around 3 p.m.
While his companions headed home, Balintong reportedly stayed behind near his motorbanca to take a swim in the sea.
Concerns grew among family members and local residents later that evening when they realized the victim had not returned home, prompting an immediate search along the shoreline.
At around 7 p.m., rescuers discovered the victim’s floating body approximately 30 meters away from where his boat was anchored. Responders attempted to administer emergency assistance, but the victim showed no signs of life and was pronounced dead.
As of this writing, local police were conducting a standard inquiry to confirm the circumstances surrounding the drowning./PN
