13 Japanese tourists, 16 others saved from flooded Sagada cave

LA TRINIDAD,  Benguet  -- Thirteen Japanese students, four tourists from Manila, two local tourists from Natonin town, Mountain Province, two instructors from Pampanga, eight local tourist guides and one unidentified female who is currently unconscious and being treated at a hospital, were saved from the flooded Sumaguing Cave in barangay Ambasing, Sagada town, Mt. Province Sunday afternoon.

Cordillera police spokesman Supt. Davvy Limmong named the Japanese students as  Atsushi Ito,30; Yoshitaka Onoe, 23; Saika Furukawa, 21;  Sakuda Hikaru, 28; Mutsimi Sato, 30;  Koichi Sato, 33; Takuto Horita, 28;  Ayumi Shimamura, 25;  Keitaro Yuda,35;  Sayori Shirai,23; Yuka Morita, 31; Yuka Nakamura, 32; and Naomi Yusakawa.

Limmong however failed to name the others as Sagada policemen are still verifying their identities.

The tourists and their guides were trapped by the rampaging waters inside the cave where a river system exists but the 13 Japanese students were rescued Sunday afternoon and the others midnight Sunday.

A female tourist from Metro Manila who reportedly slipped however remains missing, added Limmong.