Enchanted River temporarily closed after diver drowned

Roel N. Catoto

June 20, 2014
4:05 pm

SURIGAO CITY (MindaNews/20 June) – The Enchanted River, the prime tourist attraction in Hinatuan town in Surigao del Sur, has been closed to the public since Tuesday following the death of surgeon cum diver in its underwater cave.

Gemma Millan, tourism officer of Hinatuan town told MindaNews Wednesday afternoon that the tourist site will reopen on Saturday (June 21).

“It’s temporarily closed now but this will be opened for swimming on Saturday,” Millan said.

Aireen Montenegro, who works at the Enchanted River, told MindaNews via mobile phone that police personnel were guarding the entrance to the place.

“One will be barred from entering the area. There is also a big streamer hung near the road to notify the people,” she said.

FILE PHOTO of Enchanted River by Roel N. Catoto

Dr. Alfonso Amores, president of Filipino Cave Divers drowned Tuesday during a dive along with two cave diving experts.

According to Jake Miranda of Surigao Dive Club, one of the three cave divers who retrieved Amores’ body said the reconstructive surgeon said the doctor was held down by the strong current in the deep chamber of the underwater cave.

Miranda said Amores’ tanks ran out of oxygen.

He said Amores’ team made the dive for a television show and that it was the second time for the doctor to dive there.

A native of Cebu, Amores is a licensed cave and scuba diver who was trained in the US.

He is the brother of Lapu-Lapu Vice Mayor Mario Amores.

The tragic incident forced the management of Enchanted River to temporarily close the area. (Roel N. Catoto/MindaNews)

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