THE family of Bradley Jay “BJ” Delos Santos, who was swept out of open water after he was hit by a big wave at Marine Beach in Kagman on Saturday, will continue the search for the boy’s body.
Rose Delos Santos, Bradley’s aunt, also clarified that Jerome Delos Santos is the boy’s uncle. BJ, moreover, was 14 years old, not 15 as earlier reported.
“The real parents of BJ are Aldebert Lizama and Norma Delos Santos. Norma is my sister, and Jerome is our brother. But we consider BJ as our reared son, as he grew up with us,” Rose Delos Santos said on Tuesday.
As of Tuesday morning, she said, the Department of Public Safety and other local agencies were still searching for BJ.
“We learned that the U.S. Coast Guard has officially signed off from the search. We have turned in our request to DPS to extend the search,” Rose Delos Santos said.
There was still no sign of the missing swimmer, she added.
“Because the water is still rough, and the current is strong, searching under water is very difficult,” she said.
“If the DPS search ends today [Tuesday], we will still camp out here and continue our own search [when] the water is calmer. We received some feedback from some community members, and they have volunteered to help. We believe his body is stuck under the rocks because of the strong current. When the water is calmer, we might have a better chance of finding his body,” she added.
It was on Saturday, April 29, 2023, at 1:13 p.m., when DPS 911 dispatch received a call regarding a distressed swimmer at the north side of Marine Beach in Kagman.
On Tuesday evening, DPS issued the following statement:
“Today, on May 2, 2023, around 6 p.m., the Boating Safety Section ended their search and rescue operations for the swimmer who went missing outside of Marine Beach in Kagman. Despite having resources from multiple local, federal, and military agencies available for 72 hours, they could not locate the missing swimmer.
“Therefore, we urge the public to report any sightings related to this search to call 911 for proper handling.
“DPS appreciates the cooperation of the families involved and partners from DFEMS SARU, CPA Ports Police Harbor Patrol, Customs & Biosecurity Marine enforcement, BECQ/CRM, DNLR DFW, U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Oliver Henry, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the NMI/Guam District, and the U.S. Navy HSC Squadron-25 for their support and response efforts.”
The Department of Public Safety’s Boating Safety Section ended their search and rescue operations for 14-year-old Bradley Jay Delos Santos on 6 p.m., Tuesday, May 2, 2023. “Despite having resources from multiple local, federal, and military agencies available for 72 hours, they could not locate the missing swimmer,” DPS said.
Bradley Jay Delos Santos
