5 SHS students drown in Zamboanga river

COTABATO CITY, Philippines — Five senior high school students drowned after they were swept away by the current in a river in Roseller T. Lim, Zamboanga Sibugay on Thursday.

The bodies of Kizzy Aganon, Myka Baynosa, Dave Cahilig, Jia Fernandez and Hannah Karanain were recovered at the downstream of the river located in Barangay New Antique.

The victims were students of the Surabay National High School.

Six of their classmates – Rodel Boguillon, Wendell Cabucos, Reymark Dacuba, James Empas, Jannisher Salipmuksin and Jonhry Talledo – were rescued by members of the Bureau of Fire Protection and the local police.

The students reportedly skipped classes and went to the river.

Authorities said rainwater from a nearby mountain cascaded toward the river and swept the students away.

Meanwhile, in Abra, a South Korean missionary and a Filipino pastor drowned in a river in Boliney on Thursday.

Zosimo Gaano reportedly tried to rescue Hye Sook Byeon, but they were both swept away by the current in the Ikmin River in Barangay Poblacion.

Byeon’s body was retrieved at past 2 p.m. in Sitio Paak, while Gaano was found four hours later in nearby Barangay Bantay in Sallapadan town.