Three drown in a week

A 70-year-old woman reportedly drowned yesterday afternoon while swimming at the Saipan World Resort beach in Susupe, bringing to three the number of people who drowned on Saipan in a week.

The three are also the eighth, ninth, and 10th drowning incidents this year on Saipan, according to Saipan Tribune records.

Department of Public Safety acting spokesman Lt. Jason Tarkong said that yesterday’s drowning victim, an Asian woman, was pronounced dead at the Commonwealth Health Center by Dr. Jeremy Devey at 4:18pm.

The police usually prefer to use the term “Asian” to refer to those of East Asian descent: Chinese, Korean, Japanese, etc.

Tarkong said that police officers responded to a drowning incident at the Saipan World Resort beach yesterday at 3:58pm and learned that the 70-year-old woman had been swimming with family members after having lunch.

The victim and her family started swimming in the swim zone area of the beach at noon. Family members later noticed that she was missing.

As they searched for the victim, witnesses spotted her floating face down within the swim zone area. She was wearing a life vest.

The hotel’s lifeguards retrieved the body and conducted cardiopulmonary resuscitation, CPR.

Emergency medical technicians from the Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services transported the victim in an ambulance to CHC, where she was pronounced dead.

Last Monday afternoon, a 25-year-old Asian woman was taken to the hospital after eyewitnesses found her floating motionless in a swimming pool at a residence in San Vicente.

Tarkong said the woman passed away the following day, Tuesday.

Tarkong did not release the victim’s name.

News sources in China identified her as Jovie Liu Youling, a cosplay model. Cosplay participants, called cosplayers, wear costumes and fashion accessories to represent a character. In Youling’s case, she was said to be a model for digital games and would sometimes wear costumes representing her characters.

It was reported that she came to Saipan after social media fans selected her to come as a model for a photo shoot at a villa organized by a company.

According to Tarkong, police responded on Monday at 3:09pm to a drowning incident at a residence in San Vicente.

Upon arrival, police saw DFEMS medics conducting CPR on the victim.

Police learned from witnesses that the victim had been swimming in the pool, but later saw her floating motionless.

Tarkong said that several people assisted with pulling the victim out of the pool and started CPR.

DFEMS transported the victim to CHC, where she died the next day.

DFEMS said that medics left the hospital after the victim was found to have a pulse.

Last Wednesday afternoon, divers recovered the body of a 27-year-old Asian male who was reported missing a day before after spear fishing outside the reef of Pak Pak Beach in San Antonio, Tarkong said.

The victim was transported to CHC, where Dr. Neda Farzan pronounced him dead at 4:55pm due to drowning.

Police learned that on Wednesday at 1:59pm, the victim’s friend reported that the victim has not returned from fishing since Tuesday, Sept. 26.

DPS Boating Safety officers met with the witness at Pak Pak Beach. DPS then launched the Zodiac rescue boat from Smiling Cove Marina.

Divers from a private company spotted the body deep in the water outside the reef of the beach.

Division of Fish and Wildlife personnel recovered fishing equipment believed to be that of the victim.

A team of DPS and Commonwealth Ports Authority divers retrieved the body 80 feet deep in the ocean.

The Zodiac boat transported the victim to Smiling Cove, then an ambulance brought him to CHC.