Last victim in Zambales lake tragedy found; death toll at 9

August 30, 2026 | 10:02pm

SAN MARCELINO, Zambales — The body of the last missing victim in the motorboat accident at Lake Mapanuepe in this town was finally found by search and retrieval operatives on Sunday, August 30, three days after the tragedy.

According to the San Marcelino Public Information Office (PIO), the Search, Rescue and Retrieval (SRR) team fished the body out of the water at about 11:20 a.m. 

Family members have identified the last victim as the 26-year-old female resident of Barangay Buhawen who went missing along with two others on Thursday, August 27, the PIO said. 

The bodies of two other missing victims, both minors, were found separately on Saturday morning, the first accidentally by residents on their way from Sitio Lumibao to Buhawen Proper, and the second by SRR teams.

The recent recovery brought the total number of casualties to nine. 

Four others, including the boat operator, survived the August 27 accident, which occurred while the Aeta residents were crossing the lake on a motorboat amid stormy weather.

The passengers reportedly attended a 4Ps meeting and received vaccine shots at the Buhawen Barangay Center before heading for home at Sitio Lumibao when tragedy struck.

Six of the passengers, including three children, drowned immediately after the boat capsized and were retrieved right after. 

The Zambales Provincial Police Office (ZPPO) earlier said the motorboat operator has been detained at the municipal police station for possible filing of charges for reckless imprudence. Initial investigation indicated that the motorboat capsized because it was overloaded, the ZPPO said.

Meanwhile, Mayor Elvis Ragadio thanked various agencies that sent in manpower and equipment in the three-day search, rescue and retrieval operations. 

He specifically cited the teams from San Marcelino Municipal Police Station, Philippine Coast Guard, Bureau of Fire Protection, 2nd Provincial Mobile Force Company, MDRRMO San Marcelino, and the Philippine Army 69th Infantry Battalion, who scoured the lake for the missing residents despite inclement weather.  

The local government of San Marcelino will shoulder the funeral expenses for the victims in support of their grieving families, Soria also said. 

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