Previous Story
‘Swimmer drowned’
|
Posted on Aug 18 2004
The Department of Public Safety yesterday said the man who died on the waters off Sugar Dock Tuesday had drowned, ruling out foul play in the incident.
Police Capt. Pete C. Muna, the acting DPS spokesman, identified the victim as Steve Murray, a 43-year-old Caucasian.
Initial investigation showed that Murray and his son had been snorkeling Tuesday afternoon when the incident occurred. He is the fifth person to drown on Sugar Dock’s waters this year.
“When they [Murray and son] found that they have gone out too far, they decided to turn around but the waves kept pulling and [slamming] them against the rock[s],” Muna said. “After a while, the boy was holding on to his father and calling for help.”
The boy, who is around 10 years old, survived the incident. Fishermen spotted what appeared to them as a floating object, which turned out to be Murray’s body when they came close to it.
Muna said boat operator Antonio Maestro and Dominador Labutap helped the boy and brought the child and his father’s body ashore. Murray’s father, a physician, responded to the scene.
Medics brought Murray to the Commonwealth Health Center, where he was officially pronounced dead due to drowning.
The incident prompted DPS commissioner Edward Camacho to respond to the scene along with policemen and crime scene investigators.
Camacho said the occurrence of several drowning incidents at the Sugar Dock should be a concern, saying that preventive measures should be looked at for implementation, including the possible closure of the beach site for recreational purposes.
He also said the beach closure could be temporary, when authorities determine that conditions are hazardous.
Camacho also said he would like to detail lifeguards at the Sugar Dock. He said he would like the DPS’ Boating Safety to have a facility at the site, so that its personnel could quickly respond to distress happening at sea. At this time, however, the DPS is facing financial and manpower problems.
