Large waves swamped and capsized a wood boat off a tropical resort island, killing 4 men and three rowers at dawn, they said.
The boat capsized lower than half a kilometer from the closest beach.
“There are a lot of rocks in the area, so it’s possible they hit their heads,” local disaster official Catherine Ong Fulgencio said in a telephone interview.
Fourteen other team members, including a Chinese woman and a Russian woman, were rescued and brought to hospital for treatment, Fulgencio added.
The Filipino victims were preparing for the Kaohsiung City Cup competition to be held within the southern Taiwanese city in November, said team member Remedy Aquino, who was not on board the boat.
From Africa to Europe, dragon boat racing is spreading throughout the world
From Africa to Europe, dragon boat racing is spreading throughout the world
No storm hit the region and government forecasters said light to moderate winds were expected on Wednesday and the ocean was generally calm, however the weather within the region was known to alter suddenly.
Last month, 31 people died when their two ferries capsized within the Iloilo Strait after being suddenly hit by violent waves and winds in Guimaras and Iloilo provinces, near Boracay.
Additional AP reporting
