PCG Palawan member dies during rescue training

A member of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) District Palawan on Thursday died during a water search and rescue (WASAR) training, the PCG said on Friday.

“On Wednesday, 15 November 2023, a 27-year-old PCG District Palawan personnel with the rank of ‘Apprentice Seaman’ lost consciousness amid the 100-meter swim,” the PCG said in a statement.

“The training staff immediately noticed the situation and conducted cardiopulmonary resuscitation. He was brought to the nearest hospital for further medical assistance but was declared dead by the attending physician at around 9 p.m.,” the PCG added.

The cause of his death was "hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy secondary to a submersion injury (drowning) and subsequent arrest”, according to PCG District Palawan.

Due to this, PCG chief Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan on Thursday ordered the suspension of all ongoing WASAR training.

"All WASAR courses are hereby suspended immediately pending the conduct of review of safety procedures by the Coast Guard Special Operations Force and cognizant units," Gavan said.

Gavan said the PCG will review and improve its training safety protocols.

"With this incident, rest assured that our existing training safety protocols will be reviewed and improved to ensure that every personnel preparing to become first responders can effectively serve the Filipino nation by upholding safety of lives at sea," Gavan said.

PCG spokesperson Rear Admiral Armand Balilo noted that the 100-meter swim is another term for endurance swim but this distance is not necessarily the exact goal for the exercise. —Joviland Rita/ VAL, GMA Integrated News