Laborer missing after swimming in flooded CDO River

Cagayan de Oro City — Search and retrieval operations resumed Monday for an 18-year-old laborer who went missing and is believed to have drowned after swimming in a flooding river in Barangay Iponan on Sunday afternoon.

Police identified the victim as Vincent Okit Recuya, a resident of Zone 6, Bolao, Barangay Iponan.

According to an initial report, Vincent and his brother Jason had gone for a picnic along the Iponan River around noon Sunday. During their outing, they began drinking, unaware of the swelling river caused by heavy rains in the hinterland areas.

The brothers attempted to cross the river to return home when a strong undercurrent swept Vincent downstream. Jason tried to rescue his brother but was also caught in the current. Fortunately, he managed to swim back to safety.

Search and rescue efforts were initiated Sunday afternoon but were suspended due to inclement weather.

On Monday, coast guard frogmen were deployed to continue scouring the murky river in hopes of retrieving Vincent's body.