By CESAR JOLITO III

Two seniors were found dead in separate drowning incidents in Negros Occidental’s Victorias City and Hinigaran on Tuesday, August 26.

A 67-year-old fisherman from Villa Miranda in Victorias’ Barangay 6-A was discovered lifeless in the river at around 7:00 a.m.

According to police, the victim left their house at around 3:00 a.m. to prepare his motorized banca for fishing but went missing shortly after.

His wife searched for him an hour later but failed to find him.

By 7:00 a.m., a witness spotted a body floating in the river and later confirmed it was the victim.

Authorities said the body showed no signs of violence, and he was declared dead at the Victorias Emergency Clinic Hospital.

Meanwhile, in Hinigaran, a 76-year-old farmer from Barangay Aranda was also found dead in the Camansi River in Sitio Mansulao at about 2:00 p.m.

The victim had earlier told a friend on Monday, August 25, that he planned to stay at his farm near the river to continue his charcoal production and take a swim.

When he failed to return home, his family conducted a search but could not find him.

The following day, his body was discovered floating in the river.

Investigators found no signs of injury on the victim’s body, supporting the conclusion that he died from drowning./CJ, WDJ