Man snorkeling at Grotto found dead

A man who was snorkeling at Grotto in Marpi on Saturday was found dead at the dive site yesterday morning.

Photo shows a view of the famous Grotto dive spot in Marpi from the viewing deck. A Caucasian man who was snorkeling at Grotto on Saturday was found dead in the dive spot yesterday morning. An autopsy will be conducted to determine the victim’s cause of death. (Ferdie de la Torre)

The victim, described as a middle-aged Caucasian, was found floating by snorkelers and divers, Saipan Tribune learned.

Department of Public Safety police spokesman Travis Hurst said yesterday that DPS Fire medics brought the victim to the Commonwealth Health Center where he was pronounced dead. Hurst said cause of death will be released at a later time after an autopsy.

Hurst said the victim’s identity is being withheld at this time until next of kin can be notified.

Hurst said police officers and fire medics were dispatched to the Grotto at about 9:24am in response to a report of an unconscious and not breathing male individual.

“More details as it relates to this case will be released by [the DPS Commissioner’s] office as it is made available,” Hurst said.

Bernard Sabugo, 54, a G4S security assigned at Grotto, said the victim arrived at Grotto alone aboard a silver Toyota RAV4 with license plate ABS-584 on Saturday at 2:55pm.

Sabugo said that when he left at 5pm at the end of his shift, a few people were still at Grotto as there were at least five vehicles, including the victim’s, in the parking lot.

Sabugo said that when he reported to work yesterday before 9am, he began listing the vehicles that were already in the parking lot and that’s when he noticed that the victim’s vehicle was still there. He then found out that it was one of the vehicles that remained there after his duty on Saturday as there was no “out” in his log.

He said at 9:20am yesterday, Jim Jungle, owner of Jim Adventure who was one of those already at the Grotto, climbed up and told him about a dead man floating.

Sabugo, who was in his outpost at the entrance area of the parking lot, immediately called 911 for police assistance.

At 9:40am, police officers and medics arrived. Before authorities came, swimmers and divers have already gotten the victim’s body out of the water.

At 12:07pm, medics left Grotto to transport the victim to CHC.

Sabugo said he has been assigned at Grotto for almost a year now but that he is not familiar with the victim.

Grotto has an assigned lifeguard everyday from 10am to 4:30pm.

Last Oct. 10, a 67-year-old Korean male tourist on a snorkeling tour drowned near Managaha reef.

In May, a Japanese snorkeling instructor drowned at the Pinatang Dive Site on Rota.

Last February, a 17-month old boy drowned in the swimming pool of a house in Papago.