Divers drown off Lapu coast

A worker of a salvor company hired to salvage a sunken ship off the coast of barangay Canjulao in Lapu-Lapu City was found dead and his co-worker remains missing.

Algier Somaylo, 27, of Mainit, Surigao del Norte was found floating near the wreck of MV B & E where he and Glen Pahit were last seen diving near the sunken vessel about 4 p.m. Tuesday.

A co-worker, Cesar Paramo, said Pahit’s body was believed trapped inside the ship which sank in July 2012.

The Philippine Coast Guard plans to conduct search and retrieval operations today to locate Pahit’s remains.

The two men had dived underwater to survey how they would go about taking apart the vessel.

Omega Steel Marine Services was commissioned by the vessel owners to cut to pieces the ship and remove them from the sea.

Paramo reported to police in barangay Marigondon that his two companions were missing an hour after they failed to surface.

Paramo was advised by Lapu-Lapu city police to submit the victim’s cadaver for autopsy to determine the cause of his death.

Yesterday morning, Somaylo’s body was found floating near the sunken vessel. This prompted Paramo to ask the help of the PCG who immediately sent a team to retrieve the body.