CEBU CITY — The body of a 15-year-old boy who went missing after swimming in the sea during Severe Tropical Storm Kristine was recovered off the coast of Barangay Punta Engaño, Lapu-Lapu City around 9:12 a.m. on Friday.

The boy was found around 50 meters from the shore.

According to reports, the victim was last seen around 4 p.m. on October 23, when he went to the seaside in Santa Lucia Malingin, Barangay Punta Engaño, with his girlfriend despite deteriorating weather conditions due to Storm Signal No. 1 over Cebu.

The two, both Grade 10 students at Punta Engaño High School, reportedly agreed to go swimming, unaware of the dangers posed by the storm. The boy jumped from a cliff into the water, followed closely by his girlfriend.

However, when the boy did not resurface, the girl sought the help of nearby residents.

Mayor Junard Chan oversaw the extensive coordinated efforts involving 17 divers from various agencies to search for the boy.

The City Environment and Natural Resources Office, the Philippine Marine Corps, the Bureau of Fire Protection and the Philippine National Police, with additional assistance from Korean volunteers, took part in the search operations.In light of the incident, Chan urged the public to avoid swimming during adverse weather to prevent similar tragedies.

Rescue teams began their search immediately after the boy went missing but had to pause at 8:30 p.m. on October 23 for safety reasons.

The search resumed the next morning with additional divers. High winds prevented the use of drones, according to Chan.