On Saturday, October 5, fishermen discovered a man’s body floating near the shores of Barangay Diora-Zinungan in Sta. Ana, Cagayan.
The man, dressed in a black shirt and shorts, had already started to decompose.
“This is the first reported missing person since the afternoon of October 3,” said PMaj. Ranolfo Sebastin Gabatin, Chief of Police at Sta. Ana Police Station.
According to the police, the body was identified as 57-year-old fisherman Arturo Redolia, a resident of the same barangay.
On October 3, Redolia was reported missing after he went out to sea in his boat.
The weather was reportedly rough at the time, and it is believed that large waves hit his boat, causing it to capsize and ultimately leading to his drowning.
“According to witnesses, his fellow fishermen saw that on the afternoon of October 3, Arturo attempted to go out to sea just after Typhoon Julian had passed, but he hadn’t even left the area of responsibility,” Gabatin narrated.
Due to the bad weather, authorities had difficulty launching a search and retrieval operation.
“The rough weather made it difficult for even experienced fishermen to go out to sea during that time,” Gabatin added.
The PNP added that the fisherman went out despite a Coast Guard warning against small sea vessels setting sail.
** VANESSA BUGTONG