A missing fisherman from Negros Occidental was found dead in Bantayan on Thursday morning, June 9, 2022.

The missing fisherman, who was later identified as Zandro Labyogo Gayatao, 49, was found floating in the sea off Barangay Lipayran in Bantayan town, Bantayan Island northern Cebu.

Major Windell Abellana, chief of Bantayan Police Station, said that Gayatao was a native of Barangay Old Sagay, Sagay City, Negros Occidental.

Abellana told SunStar Cebu that they received an information from the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) around 7 a.m. on Thursday about a body found in Pakamang reef in Barangay Lipayran.

The Bantayan police, together with the Coast Guard, Maritime and MDRRMO personnel immediately responded to the area.

The responding teams were informed by fisherfolk there that the dead person was the same person who went missing last June 7, 2022 at the Tañon point channel while on a fishing activity in the area called “palundag."

The identity and description of the dead missing person was corroborated by his relatives in Sagay through phone conversation.

The victim was already turned over to his relatives in Sagay.

Abellana said they have not seen any signs of foul play in the death of Gayatao. (GDC, TPT)