Body of missing diver recovered in Batangas

A diving instructor orients his students to ensure safety in their dive. A call center agent learning how to dive drowned on Sunday in Mabini, Batangas. AFP

Editor’s Note: We’re updating this story to correct the name of the victim and other details initially provided by the Mabini police. 
 

BATANGAS CITY–The body of a call center senior manager, who went missing while scuba diving on Sunday morning, was retrieved in the waters off Mabini town in Batangas province on Monday, police said.

Chief Insp. Arturo Divino, Mabini police chief, said a team of policemen, Philippine Coast Guard personnel and Bantay Dagat (sea patrol) members found the body of Agnes Maria San Pedro, a senior manager for training and development of a business process outsourcing firm in Metro Manila, at 10:30 a.m. in the village of Mainit.

Reports from the police and friends and relatives of the victim, said San Pedro joined a group of eight divers, including their dive instructor, at 11 a.m. and descended 29 meters deep.

After about 30 minutes, Divino said the instructor signaled the divers that they needed to return to their boat but San Pedro failed to follow.

The dive instructor, police said, immediately sought the local Bantay Dagat and reported that San Pedro went missing, leading to a search.