Navy divers retrieve missing Sagada tour guide in flooded cave

SAGADA, Mountain Province -- A tourist guide reported missing in this tourist town on July 16 was found dead Tuesday inside a flooded cave and retrieved by Philippine Navy divers.

The body of Roderick Malecdan, 23 was retrieved from Victoria Cave in Sitio Maduto, Barangay Angkileng  around 4 p.m., according to the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

The Office of the Civil Defense-Cordillera reportedly sent the divers to retrieve the body which was found wedged between huge rocks in a submerged portion of the cave.

Malecdan and six other tourist guides entered the cave to explore its potential as a tourist destination when they were swept away by strong current during heavy rains.

Four of the tour guides managed to find their way out and reported the incident while two others were rescued.

Municipal Tourism Officer Robert Pangod said people from his office earlier conducted search and rescue operation to locate Malecdan inside Victoria Cave.

Malecdan and his companions were trapped inside the cave that afternoon after rain water caused the river to overflow.

Pangod said that based on the report of Sagada police station, the tour guides entered the cave but while inside, the water level increased.

Police launched rescue operation. They were able to rescue two more around 6:45 evening of Sunday but Malecdan remained missing as of noon time of Monday.

Pangod said Sagada has been experiencing rains the past days, which could have caused water to rise inside Victoria cave.

He and six others went for an exploration mission to check out the cave to look into possibility of including the same as a spelunking site for tourists.