Tuesday, November 09, 2004
Search for missing Japanese diver widens (3:00 p.m.)
CEBU -- Coastguard and Airforce authorities have expanded their search coverage to the surroundings of Mactan island for a Japanese diver who was reported missing Monday night.
Antonio Bante, general manager of Pacific Cebu Resort, said they already hired a private Cessna plane to augment the Airforce team in the search for Chihiro Nawa, 20, of Yamagota, Japan.
Bante said professional divers were also tapped to help Coastguard personnel in scouring Mactan waters.
Masahiro Kajita, 25, of Eichi, Japan was fished out in the nearby town of Cordova by a local fisherman.
Nawa and Kajita went diving at 8:30 Monday night along Olango channel, south of Mactan island. Resort authorities reported them missing to local police when the two failed to return shortly before 12 midnight Monday.
Bante said the two Japanese divers are licensed professional divers and are members of their Japanese staff.
He said the two are in the country to help the resort personnel communicate with Japanese tourists.
He added the two Japanese divers have informed the resort personnel that they are going out for a night dive.
Police suspect that lack of oxygen supply could have caused the death of Kajita, however, resort authorities are awaiting the autopsy report to find out the real cause of death.(Sunnex)
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