Monday, April 11, 2005
Treasure hunter remains trapped in Tuburan cave
EFFORTS to retrieve the body of treasure hunter Editho Yntong from a cave in Tuburan, Cebu ended last week.
Barangay Captain Editho Montecalvo of Bagasawe, Tuburan said government and civilian rescuers have given up hope to get the man’s trapped remains.
For almost two weeks, their efforts proved futile, running into trouble whenever they dived and entered the cave.
Their oxygen tanks leaked and their flashlights would suddenly fail to function, Montecalvo said.
Yntong, 37, of San Fernando, Cebu, entered last Good Friday the riverside cave, which locals believed to be enchanted.
Since then, Yntong, who was allegedly hunting for the fabled Golden Buddha, was trapped some six feet from the cave’s cramped entrance.
Residents said Yntong was the first man who dared enter the cave, from which water also flows.
During high tide, the seawater conceals the cave’s mouth.
Last week, at least two local fishermen managed to tie a rope around Yntong’s body. But when they tried to pull it to the opening, it stayed stuck.
Vigil
“He got trapped in a wide portion of the cave. But he could not be pulled out because of the constricted passageway,” Montecalvo said.
Losing hope of ever retrieving Yntong, the victim’s immediate relatives held a vigil instead at the site.
After Yntong’s death, barangay officials put up a warning sign reminding residents not to enter the cave, or wash clothes or swim in the river.
Montecalvo said they also installed a fishnet in the cave’s entrance to block any “deteriorating” body parts of Yntong.
The cave is some 400 meters from the shoreline. GC
(April 11, 2005 issue)
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