Siblings in Buguey, Cagayan drowned, found dead in a river still hugging each other

Buguey, Cagayan - What was meant to be a fun family outing ended in a tragedy after two siblings drowned in a river near a resort in Buguey, Cagayan, on June 8, 2025.  

The victims were identified by the police as Marianne Erica Yoro, 18, and her younger brother Ricky John, 13.  

According to the report obtained by the Cagayan Public Information Office from the authorities, the Yoro family went to the Lorenzo Nature Spring Resort in said town for a swim. While the rest of the group was having lunch, the siblings were nowhere to be found.

The family assumed that the two were still swimming inside the resort without knowing they had gone to the river nearby. When it was time to go home, Marianne and Ricky were still not in their spot. 

Worried, the family started looking for them, while the others reported the matter to the authorities.  

After a search effort, the bodies of Marianne and Ricky were found by the rescue teams submerged in the river, hugging each other.  

Initial investigation suggests that the victims might have ventured into the deep portion of the river, where they struggled to stay afloat, resulting in their drowning.  

Marianne and Ricky were rushed to the hospital by the responding authorities, but they were declared dead on arrival by the attending physician.  

Following the incident, the resort has been temporarily closed to the public while further investigation is being conducted to determine the real cause of the tragic incident.  

Meanwhile, the Municipal Risk Reduction and Management Office  (MDRRMO) Buguey extended support to the grieving family, who are now holding the wake of the victims at their residence.  

What happened in Buguey on June 8 adds to a concerning number of drowning incidents in Cagayan in recent months. 

On March 1, 2025, alone, a 16-year-old falls off a boat and drowns in the Cagayan River in Alcala. During the Holy Week (April), the province recorded separate cases on April 18 and 19 (Good Friday and Black Saturday). The victims were identified as a 57-year-old farmer, an 8-year-old boy, and a 27-year-old man.  

Those are only some of the incidents that happened in the province this year.  The said cases, involving both children and adults, occurred during leisure or daily activities in rivers and other bodies of water in the province. 

The provincial government continues to remind the public to be extra careful and follow safety guidelines when going to rivers, resorts, or any natural bodies of water to avoid such tragedies from happening.