Girl drowns in Urdaneta river, another still missing

URDANETA CITY, Philippines–An 11-year-old girl drowned while a classmate of hers was reported missing after they were swept away by a strong current while the girls, along with three others, were having a dip in a river here on Friday, police said.

Superintendent Jeff Fanged, Urdaneta police chief, identified the drowning victim as Ciara Agosta, a Grade 6 pupil at the Urdaneta Central School.

Still missing as of 10 a.m. Saturday was Agosta’s classmate, Precy Santos, 14.

Fanged said the girls went swimming at the Macalong River  in Barangay  Pinmaludpod at 3:30 p.m. Friday. The two girls were quickly swept away by a strong current, Fanged said, adding rescuers recovered Agosta’s body some 15 minutes later, around  3:45 p.m.