CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga: The 177th celebration of the “Libad Ilog” or the fluvial procession for the feast of patron Apu Iro in Apalit, Pampanga ended in tragedy when two devotees were electrocuted and four others were injured on Tuesday afternoon.

Two persons were confirmed dead while four others were injured as Barangay Sulipan commemorated its town fiesta with the traditional fluvial parade in Apalit River.

Pampanga Police Acting Director Col. Alvin Ruby Consolacion identified one of the fatalities as Nyote Ponsenes, 40, a resident of Manila. The other victim who died, about 25 to 30 years of age, remained unidentified.

The injured victims who sustained minor burns were identified as Maria Christina Javier-Torres, 58; Mia Franz Simbulan, 11; and Dwayne Cortez, 11, all residents of Barangay Sucad, Apalit; and Elizabeth Figueras Javier, 41, a native of Matabungcay, Lian, Batangas.

Investigation showed the tragedy occurred around 2 p.m. while the victims were aboard a motorized boat participating in the fluvial parade. A protruding metal from the boat accidentally hit the high-tension wire of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines, causing the boat’s engine to explode and electrocute its occupants.

The six victims were rushed to Premier Hospital and Asccom Hospital, but two of them were declared dead on arrival by the attending physician.

On the same day at the fluvial parade, a 5-year-old boy drowned after the boat he was riding overturned in Apalit River.

The victim was identified as Aaron John Lopez, a resident of España Dalayap, Macabebe, Pampanga.

Based on the initial report, the victim was accompanied aboard a motorized boat by his father Alejandro Lopez, 27; brother Prince Aiki, 6; and neighbors Ian Sequiña, 17, and Marlon Mercado, 32.

The father said they were cruising along the river at around 3:30 p.m. when he noticed that their boat was about to collide with another boat, so he immediately turned the helm causing the boat to capsize and sink.

Personnel of the Apalit Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office on site responded quickly and rescued the passengers of the sunken boat, but the boy was already lifeless when he was fished out of the water.

The Libad Ilog for Apung Iru was not held in the past two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but for this year’s celebration, up to 2,000 boats participated in the parade.

Apung Iru stands for the holy image of St. Peter, which is brought to its shrine by members of the Knights of St. Peter in a traditional fluvial procession every June 20 to 28 in Apalit River.