Cave diver dies in Enchanted River

Enchanted River / Facebook Photo

MANILA — A surgeon and cave diver, who went to Enchanted River in Surigao del Sur to put safety measures for a scheduled television shooting, died after failing to come out of the cave.

Authorities said Dr. Alfonso Ramirez went to the river along with professional divers but failed to come out on Tuesday morning.

“He was excited because diving in Enchanted River is always a challenge, it’s never easy. When you get to get out from there, it’s already a big accomplishment for us divers,” Andy Berame of Lapu-Lapu City’s Task Force Kalikasan said in a report for ABS-CBN News.

Amores trained the Lapu-Lapu City’s Task Force Kalikasan and was in charge of the creation of sanctuaries around Lapu-Lapu City.

He was also a licensed cave and scuba diver who received training in the United States.

His body, which will be brought back to Cebu on Wednesday night, was retrieved 40 meters deep, 8 hours later.

Lapu-Lapu City Vice Mayor Mario Amores, brother of the surgeon-cave diver immediately went to Surigao del Sur after learning about the incident.

Amores’ wife will also be coming home from the United States.

With reports from ABS-CBN News