PNP to coordinate with Korean Embassy for return to Seoul of Kawasan Falls drowning victim
Extreme sports enthusiasts can enjoy rappelling at the Kawasan Falls in Badian town in southern Cebu. (CDN File Photo)
(Third update)
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Badian Police Station will be coordinating with the South Korean Embassy in the Philippines for the repatriation arrangement of a Korean tourist who drowned at Kasawan Falls in Cebu’s southwestern town of Badian on Friday, March 29, 2019.
Police Staff Sergeant Melvin Collados of the Badian Police told CDN Digital by phone that the remains of Lee Jong Hyue, 31, is still at the Badian District Hospital as of this evening while waiting for Korean Embassy officials to claim his body.
Collados said that their latest information showed that Lee, a tourist, was in the company of another Korean, identified as Kim Hong Ok, who went to Kawasan Falls for a day of canyoneering and swimming activity. (An earlier report said Lee was with 17 other Koreans who visited Kawasan Falls).
Collado said they received the call about the accident sometime past noon today alerting the police of a drowning incident in Kawasan Falls located in the upland village of Matutinao, about 16 kilometers from the town proper. Badian is about 104 kilometers southwest of Cebu City.
He said Lee was unresponsive when he was rushed to the Badian District Hospital but it was too late to revive him, as he had died even before he reached the hospital.
Related story: Kawasan Falls drowning victim is a South Korean tourist – police
Collado said their information showed that Lee climbed on a ledge about 45-foot high and made his jump into the water but fell the wrong way and drowned.
The Badian Police Station’s commander, Police Lieutenant Revelito Tadeque, told CDN Digital by phone that they will be coordinating with the police in the neighboring town of Moalboal to find out if Lee and his companion were billeted in any of the hotels there.
Initial information earlier released by Collado said the the tourist was temporarily residing in Lapu-Lapu City on Mactan Island./elb
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