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Ex-Rota Finance chief drowns
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Posted on Mar 06 2006
Former Rota Resident Director for Finance Vicente S. Atalig drowned at the Swimming Hole Beach on Rota Saturday afternoon.
DPS information officer Ken I. Concepcion said yesterday that Dr. Francois Klassen of the Rota Health Center pronounced the victim dead on arrival that afternoon.
Concepcion said there is no further information about the victim’s identity and the circumstances behind the drowning.
The Saipan Tribune, however, gathered from DPS Rota and the Rota Mayor’s Office that the victim was Atalig, the former Finance resident director of the island.
Sources from Rota also disclosed that Atalig was fishing at the time.
Concepcion said that on Saturday at 4:03pm, Rota DPS received an emergency call regarding a possible drowning at the Swimming Hole Beach.
At 4:05pm, DPS Rota Boating Safety Unit launched a rescue boat from the West Marina to conduct a search-and-rescue operation. A patrol unit was also dispatched to the beach area.
Concepcion said that, according to the report, Boating Safety officers and emergency medical technicians arrived at the beach at 4:36pm.
After five minutes, the rescue team recovered the victim’s body just outside the reef at about 150 feet. The rescuers immediately tried to revive the victim while transporting him back to West Marina.
Upon arrival at West Marina at 5pm, a waiting ambulance transported the victim to the Rota Health Center for further treatment.
Concepcion said Dr. Klassen, however, pronounced the victim dead on arrival.
“At this moment there is no further information on the cause of the drowning,” said the DPS information officer, adding that the case is under further investigation.
That day, Gov. Benigno R. Fitial had issued a special marine advisory appealing to fishermen, beachgoers, divers, swimmers, and marine tour operators on Saipan, Tinian, and Rota to avoid venturing near exposed reefs and beaches, especially along east- and northeast-facing reefs due to life threatening rip currents.
Last month, a Chinese male tourist drowned while swimming at Tachogna Beach in San Jose, Tinian. At that time, EMO also issued the same special marine advisory.
