Missing fisherman found dead, floating off Tarangnan waters

CATBALOGAN CITY, Philippines  — A fisherman who went missing on Friday evening, after he allegedly fell from his boat, was found dead last night by members of the Philippine Coast Guard here.

The cadaver was seen partially floating by a passing motorboat within Tarangnan waters and reported the sighting to the PCG personnel who have been scouring the area for about three days already upon the request of the victim’s family.

Catbalogan PCG Commander, Lieutenant Antolin Cayabo informed The Freeman that the recovered cadaver was identified as 53-year-old Domingo Ocasla, a resident of Barangay Poblacion 2 in Daram town of Samar.

“According to his kid, they went out on Friday with other fishing colleagues thru this ligkupan type of fishing, and they usually ride on these small boats being dragged by their mother boat. But upon reaching shore, they discovered that the victim (Ocasla) was no longer in his assigned boat. Based on their testimony, he must have fell to the water, either asleep or was dizzy,” Cayabo said.

Cayabo said the Ocasla family already noticed that the victim had been feeling sickly and dizzy during the past few days even before they went out fishing on Friday.

Subsequently after the incident was reported, Cayabo said he immediately dispatched the PCG team to the area but the body was never found, not until earlier last night when a passing motorboat reported the sighting of a floating cadaver.

The family and the owner of the ligkupan immediately claimed the cadaver right after it was reported to the City Police.  (FREEMAN)