The tide was very low when the body of a man was found in the waters off Tumon Bay over the weekend.  

Several beachgoers told KUAM they suspect the man, believed to be in his 60’s, may have had a medical issue prior to drowning. For now, police continue to investigate and await autopsy results to determine how he died.

The Guam Fire Department pulled his body from the waters behind Reef hotel and still, there was no pulse even after medics attempted to perform CPR.

The unnamed man did not survive.

Kim Garretson was working nearby and they shared, “I just saw GFD picking up the body.”

The following day, beachgoers were out taking in the rays on their Sunday and on the opposite end of the tourist district, a life guard with the Department of Parks and Recreation is at his duty station.

He keeps his binoculars closeby to get a clear enough view from across the bay, but the other end of Tumon is just too far for life guards here to quickly respond.

It's why responders have said going into the water with an experienced swimmer should be a must.

Barb Askey from Tamuning said, “I come here to Ypao just about every Sunday.”

Askey feels out the strength of the current once stepping in to determine if it’s safe for her to snorkel.

“A lot of times it is very easy to snorkel here because it’s really calm but right now with the wind and current you have to be really careful,” she said. 

An important rule for beachgoers after the island recorded yet another tragedy in our waters.

Askey said, “I’m sad because it’s very unfortunate but I think that if it’s someone who is new and doesn’t really know the waters I think that before they go in that somebody needs to talk to them about being cautious and what cautious really means.”

Our heartfelt condolences to the victim's family.