Body of missing CDO rafting tourist found

MANILA, Philippines – The body of the tourist who went missing after white water-rafting in Cagayan de Oro was found by divers on Sunday, June 15 at around 11:30 am.

According to MindaNews, the body of Aizza Balbin, a 26-year-old nurse from Bohol, was found within a maze of limestone rocks near the spot where her raft capsized last Friday, June 13.

Divers cleared away twigs and debris blocking the entrance to the formation of rocks before finding her helmet and then her body. She was still wearing her lifevest. 

The body was then brought to the Cosmopolitan Funeral Parlor in Cagayan de Oro City where an autopsy was performed. 

Balbin was one of 4 tourists who were aboard a raft that capsized near a boulder along the white water rafting route on June 13, Friday. Her companions on the boat were able to swim to safety. 

Raft operator Kagay White Water Rafting (KWWR) launched a search and rescue operation about 20 minutes after the raft capsized. But torrential rains impeded the operation, according to Cagayan de Oro mayor Oscar Moreno. 

Moreno has threatened to suspend rafting and kayaking tours unless tourism operators create measures to make the popular adventure tourism activity safer. 

Balbin’s death is the first fatality since the city’s commercial rafting operations began in 1995. White water rafting attracts 500 to 800 tourists daily. – Rappler.com