Japanese national goes diving, dies

CEBU, Philippines – A Japanese diving instructor was proclaimed dead on arrival at a hospital Monday after experiencing breathing difficulty while diving in the waters off Olango Island, Lapu-Lapu City.

An attending physician declared Kenichi Nakaizumi, 64, dead when he arrived at the Mactan Doctors' Hospital.

The victim hails from Yamaguchi, Japan and was temporarily staying in La Place Guesthouse in Barangay Maribago.

Police Officer 2 Marven Naraum, homicide investigator at the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office, said Nakaizumi went diving around 1 p.m. that day with his friend Dino Ompad, operations manager of Scuba Star in Sitio Buyong, Maribago.

Ompad told police that one of his boatmen noticed that the Japanese diver was experiencing difficulty in breathing after rising up from the water and climbing his way onto the boat.

The boatman informed Ompad about the incident and they immediately docked in a nearby beach resort in Maribago.

Before heading to the hospital, Naraum said, the Emergency Rescue Unit Foundation-7 performed basic rescue procedures but Nakaizumi was reportedly unresponsive.

Nakaizumi's body was brought to Cosmopolitan Funeral Homes in Baranagay Pajo for autopsy.

Naraum said their investigation revealed that the Japanese had a medical history of heart failure after they found out medicines inside his rented room.