Strong current halts ‘Pinoy Aquaman’ Visayas-Mindanao swim attempt

A triathlete lawyer on Wednesday attempted to swim from Visayas to Mindanao, but was not able to achieve his goal due to the strong current.

Lawyer Ingemar Macarine, 37, was forced to abandon his attempt to swim from Southern Leyte to Surigao, according to a report from GMA News stringer Natz Corbeta on Thursday.

Macarine, who earned the nickname "Pinoy Aquaman," started his swim at 5:20 a.m. from San Ricardo in Southern Leyte, but the currents pushed him towards Camiguin.

While he managed to swim 23 kilometers after five-and-a-half hours, he failed to reach his destination.

Still, Macarine earned the distinction of being the first Filipino to attempt swimming from Visayas to Mindanao.

Earlier this week, Macarine told MindaNews that his swim, which he estimated would take eight hours, was to promote tourism, the protection of the marine environment, and a healthy lifestyle.

Earlier this year, Macarine managed to swim 12.82 kilometers from Hikdop Island in Surigao Channel to Surigao City.

In April, he also swam from Alcatraz Island to San Francisco in California for cleaner seas. — Joel Locsin/BM, GMA News