Man feared drowned in Kagman

A man is feared to have drowned after big waves swept him out to sea as he was fishing along the cliff lines of Marine Beach in Kagman yesterday morning.

When Saipan Tribune left Marine Beach at 2:10pm yesterday, a U.S. Coast Guard Hilo chopper was just leaving the beach after a failed recovery operation. As of press time late afternoon yesterday, the recovery operation was still ongoing.

A Department of Public Safety missing person advisory identified the missing man as Hilario M. Palino, a Filipino.

A family member told Saipan Tribune that Palino is an employee of Saipan Stevedore and is in his late 30s or early 40s. He resides in Kagman 2 and has five children, all of them on Saipan.

DPS spokesperson Lei Ogumoro said the department received a report of a possible drowning incident at Marine Beach at 9:39am. Ogumoro said the incident has been classified as a missing person.

She said preliminary investigation showed that Paleno and another man were fishing at Marine Beach along the cliff lines.

A slew of huge waves hit and swept the two men out to sea. A witness rescued Palino’s companion.

Police were then called from a neighbor’s house. Medics treated the victim for injuries.

As of late afternoon yesterday, Ogumoro said the DPS Dive Rescue Team, the Commonwealth Ports Authority’s Search and Rescue Unit, and the Emergency Management Office were conducting water and shoreline search for Palino.

Ogumoro said the U.S. Coast Guard’s Hilo chopper conducted an aerial search.

“Surf conditions are high and waves are large and considered rough and dangerous,” she said.

When Saipan Tribune arrived at the beach at 12:30pm, at least nine members of DPS and CPA’s rescue teams were seen holding on to a rope while inside the reef line. A DPS rescue boat was on standby outside the reef.

Big waves, however, hampered the operation. Witnesses said they saw Palino’s body being buoyed up by the water then dragged under the waves.

At 1:23pm the U.S. Navy’s chopper from Guam arrived at the scene. The chopper hoisted down to the beach side one rescuer, who joined local rescuers.

The chopper hovered for more than 30 minutes near the location of the rescuers. With the search hampered by huge waves, the chopper left the beach area.

Adilihna Seman, 51, told Saipan Tribune that a couple—Benjie and Elsa—were fishing using rod and reel when Palino arrived and joined them.

Seman said big waves struck Palino, who was then dragged to the sea. She said Benjie jumped into the water to save Palino.

Elsa ran to Seman’s house shouting for help. Seman said she went to her neighbor’s house where she called police.

Seman said they went to the beach where she saw Benjie with bruises in his body and swollen feet.

The couple appeared exhausted but refused to be brought to the hospital, Seman said.

A pair of Palino’s boots, a broken rod and reel, along with his catch—three atulai fish—were recovered and placed on the beach side.

The beach is very dangerous due to the big waves, a police officer said. There is also a cave under the water, he added.