Three Filipino teachers from UAE drown in Philippines

Mona Al Badawi, Staff Reporter

Three Filipino teachers working in Al Ain schools drowned and four others escaped death while spending their summer vacations in their home country.

The teachers used to work at the Al Ittihad National Private School.

One of them, a female teacher, had recently moved to another school in Al Ain.

While in Philippines, the teachers decided to take a cruise among the islands despite the bad weather.

Heavy rains accompanied by strong winds led their boat to capsize after being hit by high waves.

One teacher had documented the details of their voyage and the moments they spent before they drowned with photographs that were posted on their social networking accounts.

Najat Al Dhaheri, headmaster of the Al Ittihad National Private School, expressed her deep regret for what happened to the teachers, who left the UAE to spend the summer vacation in their home country.

She noted that all of them were outstanding, who left an excellent hallmark in the hearts of the teaching staff and students.

Meanwhile, Manal Al Shannaq, head of the elementary section at the school, described the incident as reported by the surviving teachers.

The survivors were contacted to check on the safety of the other teachers and follow up on their health conditions.

She noted that all teachers decided to go on a cruise to a number of Philippines islands to explore their landmarks and have some fun.

Following their visit to an island and while on course to another, the weather worsened by heavy rains accompanied by strong winds that led the sea waves to rise above their normal rate and to hit the boat and cause it to capsize, leaving those who were wearing life jackets beneath the boat, she said.

She added that Mark, a survivor, who works as a section co-ordinator, said he managed to take off his life jacket and swim out of the capsized boat, adding that he tried to pull out his colleague, Andrew, who was in his thirties, but died after rescue men had arrived.

The bodies of the other two teachers; namely, Eden, a female in her thirties, and Jaquelyn, 29, were found floating on the surface of the sea the following day, she said.

Another teacher, Diana, who was supposed to accompany her colleagues in the voyage, changed her mind at the last minute due to the bad weather conditions, she said.

A total of 25 people were killed when three passenger boats capsized and sank off Iloilo province in the Visayas due to bad weather.