Search on for Army diver

DEEP-SEA divers are searching for a military officer declared missing after he failed to surface following a diving exercise Sunday morning in Samal, Davao del Norte.

The military has not named the officer as his family has yet to be informed of the incident.

Maj. Ezra Balagtey, Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom) spokesperson, said the incident happened at Angel’s Cove on Talikud Island in Samal.

A joint proficiency diving exercise was being held there by the Eastmincom, Naval Forces Eastern Mindanao and Naval Special Operations Unit.

A group of divers arrived at around 7 a.m. and conducted exercises, but the victim, reportedly an officer of the Philippine Army, failed to surface after the last one.

Balagtey said deep-sea divers and search teams from the Philippine Coast Guard, Naval Special Operations Unit and Naval Forces Eastern Mindanao immediately launched a search. Julie M. Aurelio