A man drowned while 11 others survived after a boat overturned while crossing a swollen river in Buldon, Maguindanao del Norte on Tuesday afternoon, July 22, 2026, police said. INQUIRER FILES

KORONADAL CITY — A man drowned while 11 others survived after a boat overturned while crossing a swollen river in Buldon, Maguindanao del Norte, on Tuesday afternoon, police said.The accident happened at around 5:40 p.m. in Sitio Makalian, Barangay Edcor, amid heavy flooding.An investigation by the Buldon Municipal Police Station said the boat was crossing the river while being manually pulled using a guide rope attached to the opposite bank.

READ: Coast Guard rescues 11 after boat overturns near GuimarasAs the boat neared the riverbank, the guide rope reportedly snapped, causing the vessel to drift back with the strong current. Water then entered the boat, causing it to lose balance and capsize. All passengers were thrown into the rushing floodwaters.Most of the passengers, according to the Buldon police, managed to swim back to shore. However, one of them, identified as Cyrus Martinez, a meat vendor from Poblacion 8, Midsayap, Cotabato, failed to make it back.Police said the strong current swept away Martinez. He was later found unconscious not far from the accident site and rushed to a hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival.According to his relatives and companions, Martinez was wearing thick, long pants and a jacket at the time of the incident. They believe the heavy clothing may have made it harder for him to swim against the floodwaters.Police are continuing their investigation to determine the exact cause of the accident, including the reported snapping of the guide rope that led to the boat flipping.

Residents renewed their call for a bridge to be constructed in the area after the incident. They said they are forced to cross the river by boat despite the dangers, particularly during periods of heavy rains and flooding./coa

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