Missing Red Cross trainee found dead in Subic Bay

OLONGAPO CITY – The lifeguard who went missing on Wednesday while undergoing basic water safety training at a beach here was found dead on Saturday morning, authorities said.

Police Chief Insp. Gerald Licyayo, head of 301st maritime police station here, said the body of Rodelio Ramos, 56, a resident of Barangay (village) Mabayuan here, was found floating in Subic Bay at about 8 a.m.

READ: Red Cross volunteer missing after swim training in Olongapo

Ramos disappeared while participating in a one-mile swimming activity as part of the training conducted by the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) Olongapo Chapter at Driftwood Beach in Barangay Barretto here, Licyayo said.

“A fisherman spotted the cadaver of Ramos floating on the same site where the PRC trainees went diving,” Licyayo said.

Ramos, a lifeguard at a hotel in Subic Bay Freeport, was with 18 other PRC trainees at the time he went missing, Licyayo said.

He added that the trainees started the one-mile swimming at about 4 a.m. on Wednesday and Ramos was reported missing at about 7 a.m. that day.

Search and rescue teams from the maritime police, Coast Guard Subic station, City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, and private diving groups were deployed to find Ramos’ body. CDG