In a separate incident, an officer of the Department of Corrections, Jesus Castro, drowned while spearfishing with a companion outside the reef in the waters off Obyan Beach, also on Friday.
Police said the tourist, Takeo Kawashiri, was snorkeling with a companion in the waters off Aqua Resort Club at around 11 a.m.
“At a later time, due to heavy rains and poor visibility the companion returned to the pool side of the hotel, and the victim was last seen still in the water at waist-deep snorkeling,” according to Department of Public Safety spokesman Sgt. Thomas A. Blas Jr.
At about 1 p.m. on the same day, Blas said the companion checked for the victim, “but could not see or find him anywhere in the water or beach site.”
Blas said Kawashiri was last seen wearing blue shorts and had a blue metallic underwater camera.
The companion told the hotel’s front desk that Kawashiri was missing and requested for assistance.
According to Blas, Shawn Mendiola, a staff member of Aqua Marine Sports, was asked by the hotel’s front desk manager to conduct an immediate search for Kawashiri.
Mendiola conducted a surface search for the victim from the Aqua Resort Club beach area, north to Paupau Beach and south to the Tanapag Lagoon but had no sighting of the victim, Blas said.
Blas said the department’s Boating Safety Services launched two jet skis, while the Emergency Management Office and DPS Fire Search and Rescue Unit personnel were also activated.
Guam’s Navy helicopter arrived and conducted an aerial search at 5 p.m., Blas said.
