Coast Guard still searching for missing tourist-diver in Palawan’s Tubbataha Reefs

MB -

Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) authorities in this city are still looking for the 44-year-old Chinese tourist-diver, who went missing in the Tubbataha Reefs National Marine Park in Cagayancillo on April 30.

PCG-Palawan District Commander Christopher Villacorte said Chinese national Qi Zhang was part of a group of foreign tourists that cruised to Cagayancillo to dive in the famous reef and see its underwater paradise.

Zhang, the coast guard commander said, went missing after the chase boat he was riding was overturned by strong winds and waves after sailing away from the North Islet of Tubbataha Reef. The other foreigners who were with him in the boat were rescued by two other chase boats.

Villacorte said the underwater current where Zhang’s boat keeled over was very strong; it might have pulled him below fast. Zhang has not been found since the PCG and the Philippine Navy went looking for him.

Villacorte said the search and rescue operation has not been ordered to stop.

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