Man dies while fishing in Garapan

A 52-year-old man who went fishing with four other men reportedly lost consciousness when he came ashore and died at a beach behind the TSL building in Garapan Wednesday night.

As this developed, the search and rescue team failed again yesterday to locate Kil Jun Min, a 35-year-old Korean national who was hit by a wave and dragged into rough waters at the secluded Hidden Beach in Talafofo last Tuesday afternoon.

Department of Public Safety Commissioner Robert Guerrero told Saipan Tribune last night that search and rescue operations will resume today, Friday, at 7am.

According to a separate U.S. Coast Guard statement yesterday, it said the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Guam was notified by Saipan DPS at about 4:30pm Tuesday about the missing person.

“The individual was reported to be taking a photo along the Kingfisher Cliff Line in front of the breaking surf when he was hit by a wave and swept out,” the Coast Guard report said.

The Coast Guard responded by sending a 110-foot patrol boat, the CGC Washington, and launching a U.S. Navy helicopter from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 25 to search with DPS Saipan.

Helping in the search is the CNMI Division of Fish and Wildlife and the privately-owned vessel Super Emerald.

In the Garapan beach incident, police said the victim, described as a local, was brought to the Commonwealth Health Center’s emergency room where he was pronounced dead by a physician Wednesday at 8:16pm.

Police said the victim and four other men had gone fishing and he had asked his friends after a few minutes to bring him to shore as he was having difficulty breathing. The victim reportedly lost consciousness and stopped breathing once when he came to shore.

Police placed the incident under further investigation. There was no report on the type of fishing the victim was doing.

DPS did not release more details about the incident yesterday.

Meanwhile, the Crime Stoppers Program is seeking the public’s help for information on the whereabouts of the manager of Club 88, who is wanted for allegedly stealing a large amount of money.

DPS said Superior Court Associate Judge Kenneth L. Govendo has issued an arrest warrant against 40-year-old Daniel Ryan Stafford for the charges of theft, with a bail amount of $50,000.

Police responded to the Club 88 mini casino at the Oceanview Hotel in Garapan, where a large amount of money had gone missing.

No other details were given.