Girl student drowns off Naga

A sophomore student drowned while swimming with classmates off the shores of barangay Langtad, Naga City, southern Cebu.

Police identified the fatality as Marjun Canque, 16, of barangay Pitalo, San Fernando town, south Cebu.

Two other students, Annabelle Dejito, 14, and and Pannycar Lastimosa, 14, were nearly drowned after they tried to save Canque.

Police said the three students were part of a group of second year students of Langtad National High School who swam at the back of the Philippine National Oil Co. PNOC) building yesterday morning.

The students had their periodical test and decided to swim past 10 a.m., said P01 Cleofas Cabrera, desk officer of the Naga City police station.

Police said it was Canque who first swam.

Police said Cabrera was later seen struggling in the waters after she was carried away by strong waves.

Dejito tried to help her. Lastimosa, who didn’t know how to swim, also followed Dejito.

Police said Lastimosa saw Dejito struggle in the water and saved her.

Canque later disappeared.

It was Danilo Librero, a resident in the area, who saved Lastimosa and Dejito.

Coast Guard and Bureau of Fire Protection personnel conducted a search and rescue operation until they found Canque at 2:30 p.m. or about four hours after she disappeared.

Canque was declared dead by an officer of the Naga City health office, said police.