Body of canyoneering ‘pioneer’ found after 29-hour search in Alegria river

He was described as one of the best “canyoneering guides” in town who “makes sure that everyone is safe”.

But on Saturday morning, 26-year-old adventure tour guide Aldrin Carba apparently put safety aside and went for a jump at the Kanlaob River in Alegria town in southwestern Cebu during a heavy downpour. The jump was to be his last.

Rescuers yesterday recovered Carba’s body ending a nearly 29-hour search, provincial disaster agency executive officer Wilson Ramos told Cebu Daily News.

“The body was recovered near the area where he last dived and disappeared on Saturday,” he said.

Baltazar Tribunalo Jr., head of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management office (PDRRMO) who led a seven-man that reinforced the searchers who were on the site since Saturday, said in a separate text message the victim’s body was found at 4:15 p.m.

Police, quoting another canyoneering guide, Tranquilino Temblor, said the victim jumped into the river and failed to resurface at past 11 a.m. Saturday.

Temporary halt

Kanlaob River in barangay Compostela in Alegria town has become popular among adventure-seekers for its canyoneering or canyoning activity.

Alegria Mayor Verna Magallon has ordered a halt to canyoneering activities in the area during bad weather. “We need to discuss this matter with Capitol officials,” she said.

An online search describes canyoneering as “traveling in canyons using a variety of techniques that may include other outdoor activities such as walking, scrambling, climbing, jumping, abseiling (rappelling), and swimming”.

Adventure web logs such as “My Nomadic Habits” and “Adrenaline Romance” count Kanlaob River as among the best spots for canyoneering. The place became more popular after it was featured in a travel TV show “Biyahe ni Drew” hosted by actor Drew Arellano. The spot attracts about 100 visitors, mostly foreigners, on weekends.

According to Tribunalo, the victim was leading 22 visitors from Manila and Cagayan de Oro City.
He said Carba – known in outdoor adventure-seeker circles as “Ya Man” – was facilitating the “jump” when the incident happened.

Carba, who is regarded as a pioneer in canyoneering, was recorded in the police blotter as working for Planet Action Adventure. But Michael Dumasapal, an employee of the tour agency, said Carba was not an employee, but was familiar with local tour guides in Alegria and Badian.

Mayor Magallon said the group was advised by residents in the area to call off their canyoneering due to inclement weather and strong river current, but Carba reportedly insisted on pushing through with the trek.

“Other tourist guides tried to search for him, but the they had a hard time because of the weather and strong current,” she said.

Carba was officially declared missing at 12:30 prompting the town’s rescue team to call in help from the police, the coast guard and other SAR teams in the province.

Gian Carlo Jubella, author of the web log “Adrenaline Romance”, said Carba was “a very good guide” and “one of our best co-adventurers”.

“Aldrin is a very good guide. He’s very friendly, very helpful, and humorous. He makes sure that everyone is safe,” he told CDN.

“A mutual adventurer-friend introduced him to us when Sheila and I asked for a canyoneering guide. Sheila and I met Aldrin, and we instantly formed bonds of friendship due to our common passion for outdoor adventures. He introduced us to canyoneering, and we introduced him to rock climbing,” he added.

According to PO2 Jonathan Calabroso of the Alegria Municipal Police Office, it took them some time to reach the accident site as the path leading to it is steep and dangerous. It was also raining hard at the time, he added.

Magallon said the town has not yet established canyoneering as a regular tour product.

“We are still on the stage of working on our access roads and purchasing gadgets and stuff needed in canyoneering,” she said.

So far, she said, the town only collects entrance fees from those going to Kanlaob River. /with a report from USJ-R intern Mayfair dela Cerna