American man, 24, dies while diving

DUMAGUETE CITY , Philippines  â€” A 24-year-old American national, who was earlier reported missing following a weekend free dive off the coast of Dauin town in Negros Oriental, was found lifeless Saturday morning at an estimated depth of 60 feet underwater.

Technical divers from various resorts and dive shops in Dauin retrieved the body of Nicholas Stephen Karr, single and a resident of the United States, near the marine reserve at District 2 of Poblacion Dauin on the 2nd day of search and rescue operations.

Dauin policeman, PO2 Karl Ahman Diaz, said initial investigation showed that Karr was fully equipped when he went on a free-dive all by himself around 9:30 a.m. Friday.

About an hour after, some of Karr's companions in a “seminar” reported that he was missing after he failed to surface and return to shore from his dive, Diaz quoted the police blotter report as saying.

Police responded around 12:30 p.m. and requested nearby dive shops and resorts to mobilize an immediate search. Rescuers from the provincial government, the Coast Guard and its auxiliary also deployed men to help in the search which proved futile by late Friday. The search resumed early Saturday, with divers and rescuers scouring the area where Karr had first went on his free dive.

His body, still with his full gear intact, was found around 9:30 a.m. Saturday at a depth that people who knew him said he was capable of reaching for a free dive, said Diaz.

The body of Karr is now laid at a funeral home in Bacong town of Negros Oriental, said Diaz, adding that the victim's parents were immediately informed of his death although nobody has contacted authorities yet to claim the body.

Meanwhile, Mark Raygan Garcia, spokesperson and director of the Information and Publications of Silliman University said Karr was previously enrolled for some subjects in Coastal Resource Management although it was not immediately known whether he was still studying at the time of his death.

The police blotter said Karr was temporarily staying at a resort in Dauin town.   (FREEMAN)