This archive report was first published on 25 September 2019.
On September 25, 2019, a devastating accident occurred off the island of Boracay, a world-renowned tropical holiday resort in the Philippines.
Seven members of a Philippine dragon boat team lost their lives when their wooden boat capsized in large waves, killing four male and three female rowers during a training session at sunrise.
According to local disaster officer Catherine Ong Fulgencio, the victims likely suffered fatal head injuries after hitting rocks in the area, despite being able to swim.
Fourteen other team members, including a Chinese and a Russian woman, were rescued and taken to hospital for treatment.
The Filipino victims were training for the Kaohsiung City Cup, a dragon boat racing event scheduled to take place in southern Taiwan in November.
Dragon boat racing is a popular sport in the Philippines and many parts of Asia, where 20 paddlers sit two abreast atop a long wooden 12-metre (39-foot) boat, steered by a cox from the rear and accompanied by a drummer in front.
