Student, construction worker drown in Pangasinan on New Year’s Day

Burgos and San Fabian towns in Pangasinan (Wikipedia maps)

DAGUPAN CITY — A Grade 10 student and a constructon worker drowned in two separate incidents on New Year’s Day in Pangasinan province, police said on Tuesday.

Joven Canuela, 16, and his brother were taking a dip at 3:30 p.m. on Monday during an outing at Baquioen Beach in Sual town, when they were swept by a strong current.

Rescuers found Canuela an hour later and was pronounced dead on arrival at a Lingayen hospital.

In San Fabian town, construction worker Romnick Gonzales, 21, did not reach the Region 1 Medical Center in Dagupan City alive after rescuers retrieved him from the waters off San Fabian Beach in Barangay Nibaliw Narvarte at about 3:45 p.m.

Police said Gonzales was swimming with his family when he was dragged by strong current to a deeper part of Lingayen Gulf. /cbb