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Lifeguard plays hero
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Posted on May 08 2006
Another lifeguard played hero when he rescued four of five stranded fishermen at the San Antonio reefline Saturday afternoon.
The Department of Public Safety yesterday commended Joey Borja, a lifeguard at the Pacific Islands Club, “for a job well done” in lending a helping hand to the stranded victims.
DPS spokesman Ken Concepcion said the stranded fishermen were Felix S. Villagomez, 26;Jose Villagomez Jr., 22; and three minors.
Concepcion said that, according to one of the victims, they went fishing outside the San Antonio reefline at 10am and slowly worked their way south toward the Agingan Point cliffline.
At 2pm, while the fishermen were swimming back to the shore, they had problems entering the reefline due to the strong current.
One of the victims managed to make it through the reefline and then back to shore where he called for police assistance.
Borja, who was a lifeguard on duty at PIC, saw the stranded fishermen beyond the reefline.
Borja headed out to the reefline on a kayak. Some of the victims clung to the kayak.
When DPS Boating Safety Unit officers arrived at 3pm on board the Zodiac II rescue boat, Borja assisted by pulling the fishermen to the boat, away from the breaking waves.
Last March, DPS awarded two lifeguards and a cook with certificates of appreciation for rescuing two boys from drowning at Micro Beach.
