One killed as big waves batter docu team's boat in Zamboanga

ZAMBOANGA CITY - A doctor died when a boat capsized after being battered by big waves in waters off Dapitan City, Zamboanga del Norte on Wednesday morning.

Chief Inspector Ariel Huesca, spokesman of Police Regional Office 9 (PRO), identified the fatality as Dr. Bob Aquino.

Aquino, who was also a freelance theater director, hitched a boat ride with photographers and members of the local tourism department that were shooting a documentary that will be used for a tourism campaign for Dapitan City.

Among the surviving boat passengers were Dapitan City tourism officer Apple Marie Agolong and Region IX Tourism Operation Officer Estephanie Apolinario.

Huesca said the group left for Aliguay Island early Wednesday morning and they were already on their way back to the city proper when their boat was hit by big waves.

Police said the victim was thrown from the boat and drowned. Investigators added that the victim also suffered a heart attack.

Agolong said in her Facebook wall that the weather was fine when they left the island after the shoot. She said that 20 minutes later, the weather condition changed and they were suddenly being tossed by big waves.

“The weather was good when we left Dapitan and it stayed as it is during the day.. Only the waves grew bigger,” Agolong said in her post.

She said that the waves and current washed them away towards the seas off in Katipunan-Roxas Strait before they were rescued and brought back to Aliguay Island.

“Thank you, Lord for giving me a chance to continue living! This is my second life! We, the survivors are so thankful while we also mourn for our companion who perished,” she said.