Student drowns in Dagupan City beach

Dagupan City, Pangasinan (Wikipedia maps)

DAGUPAN CITY — A 16-year-old student from Bulacan province drowned at the Tondaligan public beach here on Sunday (April 2).

Paul Carpio, a resident of Barangay Pulong Yantok in Angat town, was swimming with his two cousins when a huge wave struck them at about 11 a.m. Sunday.

Carpio lost his hold on an inflated tire interior he used as a floating device and was carried by the wave’s strong current as it retreated back to the Lingayen Gulf.

Police said his cousins tried but failed to save him. The city government’s life guards also scoured  the area where Carpio was last seen but could not find him.

Carpio’s body was found at around 6 a.m. on Monday (April 3) floating on the waters near a beach front subdivision here.

Carpio was this year’s first drowning victim here, said Supt. Neil Miro, city police chief.

The Tondaligan beach draws tourists from different Pangasinan towns and cities and from neighboring provinces.  SFM