Japanese drowns in Pangasinan beach

DAGUPAN CITY, Philippines–A Japanese drowned in a beach in Labrador, Pangasinan, on Tuesday, police said.

Senior Insp. Rolando Quejado, Labrador police chief, said the victim, Hideo Noda, 52; his wife, Karen Bautista, 27; and their two children arrived at a beach in Barangay Tobuan at about 12:30 p.m. to celebrate the birthday of one of their children.

Quejado said Noda started drinking beer and after finishing four bottles, he plunged into the water at about 1 p.m. Minutes later, he was found unconscious.

“He must have been already drunk when he went into the water,” Quejado said, noting that the weather was good and the waves were not big on Tuesday afternoon.

Noda, a resident of Mangatarem town, was given first aid and taken to the Labrador Community Hospital, where a doctor declared him dead.