3 Korean Divers Missing off Lapu-Lapu City in Cebu

[DandyDon]

Damn, they got separated. In a dreaded lost at sea incident, always best to stay together - I think. Hope that third diver still missing didn't miss the islands.

 

[kwhkg]

Korean divers rescued in Cebu, 1 still missing

---------- Post added July 7th, 2015 at 09:43 PM ----------

unconfirmed report says 3rd diver found dead this morning around 6am near Camotes Island

 

[Ethan Yang]

Tragedy marred the search for three Korean divers who were reported missing off Lapu-Lapu City in Cebu amid bad weather conditions last Sunday, after one of them was found dead on Wednesday.

While initial information last Tuesday suggested the three were seen alive, one of the three was found lifeless off Camotes Island, GMA Cebu's Alan Domingo reported.

Citing information from the Naval Forces Central command, the report identified the fatality as Heo Seung Yung, 45, who was still wearing a dive suit when found.

Meanwhile, a Philippine Navy vessel transported Korean dive instructor Baek Seong Kyun, 34, and female diver Kim Eun, 31, from Camotes Island to Lapu-Lapu City.

The vessel arrived at Naval Forces Central past 8 a.m.

While the dive instructor suffered from dehydration, Eun sustained bruises in the face and scratches in the neck.

An investigation showed big waves washed the three to Camotes Island last Sunday.

A fisherman found Eun and Kyun Tuesday.

 

[Joe Cool]

One of the divers did not make it. Sad, but glad the other two are safe. Here is the full news article:

CEBU, Philippines – Two of the Korean divers who floated in water for almost three days are back in dry land – albeit dehydrated and weak – but their companion wasn’t lucky to survive. Early yesterday morning, the body of Heo Seung Yeun was found by the beach by residents of Barangay Heminsulan in San Francisco town in Camotes Islands.
PO3 Rex Sugarol, desk officer of the San Francisco Police, said they received the call from a resident at 5:40 a.m. and his colleagues confirmed it was Heo’s body that was washed ashore.
Heo’s companions in the dive Sunday, Kim Eun, 31, and dive instructor Baek Seung Kyoon, 34, were rescued also in San Francisco last Tuesday.
The three floated at sea from Mactan Island to Camotes Islands, approximately 57 kilometers away from each other.
At past 8 a.m. yesterday morning, Kim and Baek were ferried back to mainland Cebu. They are being treated at the UC Medical Center in Mandaue City.

Meanwhile, Heo’s remains were transported back to the mainland via helicopter of the Philippine Air Force.

Drifted away
Andy Kim, another Korean, who manages New Grand Bleu Dive Resort in Mactan Island where the three divers rented equipment, said Kim managed to share with him their experience at sea.
Andy said that despite the bad weather last Sunday, the three still decided to enter the water via the beach. They were also meant to return to land also via the shore, which means no boat was to get them when they surface.

But the dive plan did not turn out as expected.
Because of the strong current, they reportedly surfaced far from shore so they deployed surface marker buoys to indicate their location at sea.
They reportedly chatted while waiting for boatmen to arrive until they noticed that they have drifted farther from land, the strong wind pushing them north. They attempted to swim back but the current was reportedly too strong to handle.
The three managed to stay together for two nights during which a cargo ship had passed by but did not notice them despite their distress signal light.
At around 10 a.m. last Tuesday, they decided to split.
By this time, Heo, 47, was reportedly already weak and suffering from cramps. Due to body pain, he reportedly removed his four oxygen tanks and his Buoyancy Compensator Device, an airtight bladder worn by a diver, which can be filled with air and vented to adjust and control the diver’s buoyancy.
He reportedly clung on Baek with the latter carrying his tanks. When the three finally saw land, they realized it would take them an hour to reach it if they stayed together so they decided to be on their own so they could swim faster. As Baek focused on swimming to shore, he did not notice that Heo had been left behind.

Kim, for her part, clung on to a buoy until a fisherman found and rescued her at around 1:45 p.m.
Hours later at around 5:45 p.m., Baek was washed ashore at a private resort in San Francisco, not far from where Kim was found. It was the resort’s caretaker who found him.
Lieutenant James Reyes, Public Information Officer of Naval Forces Central, told reporters Heo most likely struggled to swim because he lost his fins.
“Napalayo siya sa kanila kaya hindi siya naka-survive kasi nawala na yung fins niya, so yung power nya sa paglalangoy, hindi napalakas,” Reyes said.
Sugarol said Baek and Kim shunned help at first until the police eventually convinced them to go to the Ricardo Maningo Memorial Hospital.
“Kana sila dili magpaduol og tawo kay mahadlok sa ilang butang, among gihangyo nga magpa-medical sa ilang kahimtang, mayo nalang nisugot,” Sugarol said.
The three divers entered the water at 11 a.m. last Sunday and the resort reported them missing at past 3 p.m. after they failed to return.
Members of the Philippine Coast Guard, Coast Guard Auxiliary Group, Philippine Navy, and City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council of Lapu-Lapu City and volunteer divers worked together to search for them. — With ChristellTudtud/JMO (FREEMAN)

Source: The Freeman Newspaper

 

[DandyDon]

I am very happy that two of them survived, sorry that one did not, and really sympathize with all they endured. Two days & nights drifting, lost at sea would be scary and painful I am sure, very much so. I don't want to criticize them personally, but I have to question some of their decisions...??

Shore dives are cheap & popular but I like a boat that's going to search for me right away. I have done very few shore dives in part because of that. But doing a shore dive when there is a Tropical Storm nearby creating big waves and hard currents, and most of the country's Coast Guard has been working a tragic ferry wreck for days miles away - too much for me!

Still, if ever lost, land or sea - stick together. All or nothing.

I have wondered on some of our family hikes: What if one of us gets hurt? Can some go for help, then find their way back ok? Now, I don't leave the house for anywhere without a PLB, don't hike without it, and don't dive without it. A good PLB is only $250, good for 5 years, so I get irritated every day reading the news about dead hikers; a dive canister is more but these were "technical divers" out in a storm.