A US Marine drowned while swimming at a beach in Bangui, Ilocos Norte, on Friday, ignoring local warnings about dangerous currents, PhilStar reported.
Marine Cpl. Edmond Zhu was swimming with fellow Cpl. Isaac Torres at Barangay Baruyen when a powerful undercurrent pulled him under, according to S/Sgt. Dominic Tangliben of the Bangui town police.
Torres called for help after Zhu was caught in the current. Rescuers managed to pull Zhu from the water, but efforts to revive him were unsuccessful. He was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital at 2:15 p.m., Tangliben confirmed.
Zhu was in Bangui with three US Marines and four Philippine Marine Corps officers to install maritime surveillance radar as part of a joint operation. Temporarily stationed in Laoag City, Zhu was participating in a training exercise with the Philippine Marine Corps.
