Six female teeners drown to death in Iloilo

By Ronron
November 5, 2007

Six female teenagers, three of whom are fresh victors in the recently held Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections, died due to drowning while on a beach party in Iloilo province on Sunday afternoon, a police official said Monday.

Sr. Insp. Remias, Alavaren, chief of Carles Municipal Police, said in a phone interview that the victims are residents of Barangay Malapok in the adjacent town of Balasan and were celebrating their victory from the October 29 polls.

The party was held at a beach resort in Barangay Barosbos in Carles starting past 8am Sunday, Remias said.

Remias said the six victims, ranging from 16 years old to 13 years old, were walking farther from the shore when they suddenly fell to a deep part of the sea at around 1pm.

“All of them do not know how to swim so they were grappling each other until they drowned to death,” Remias said in Filipino.

The victims drowned some 100 meters away from the shoreline.

Remias said local fishermen attempted to rescue the six but were unsuccessful.

Among the fatalities are three newly proclaimed SK councilors of Barangay Malapok while the rest are their relatives.

Remias said the victims were joined by their families and even barangay and municipal officials during the party.

“It was unexpected because the weather was good, and it was low tide at that time. They did not expect that there was a deep portion in that area,” Remias said of the incident./DMS