CATARMAN, Northern Samar- The dead body of an engineering student who was drowned while swimming at the Pinipisakan Falls was recovered three days after the incident.
The lifeless body of Jude Christopher Pinca, 21 and a 4th year civil engineering student at the University of Eastern Philippines, this town, was recovered floating in the river which runs within the Pinipisakan Falls.
Pinipisakan Falls is located in Las Navas and is one of the major tourist attractions of the province.
The cadaver of the victim was already bloated when it was recovered by the rescue groups at around 8 am on Wednesday (April 12), Engr. Romualdo Saises, Las Navas’ disaster risk reduction management officer, said.
Pinca was said to have been drowned last April 9, Palm Sunday.
It was learned that Pinca was with his friends to swim at the Pinipisakan Falls and rented a kayak.
However, unlike his companions, Pinca did not wear a life vest as instructed by the owner of the kayak.
While they were near the falls, their kayak capsized due to strong currents. Pinca’s friends were able to survive due to their life vests that they used.
Saises said that while the body of Pinca was discovered to have been buried at the coral stones of the riverbed, they could not retrieve it as it was located at 100 meters deep of the Pinipisakan Falls.
On Wednesday (April 12), the body of Pinca was seen floating. (RACHEL V. ARNAIZ)
