The ANU staff member and windsurfer who drowned after falling from his board on Sunday has been remembered as a valued member of the university.
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ANU vice-chancellor Ian Young paid tribute today to senior drafting officer Bobby Dungca, who had worked at ANU for 24 years.
‘‘He has been a valued member of the ANU community, and he will be deeply missed. On behalf of the ANU, I extend my deepest sympathy to Bobby’s friends and family,’’ he said.
Mr Young said counselling services would be offered to ANU employees in this difficult time.
A friend and co-worker of MrDungca’s, Paul Sjoberg, said on Monday that his former colleague was a ‘‘top guy’’.
‘‘A really nice guy,’’ Mr Sjoberg said. ‘‘He is extremely fit and strong so he might have thought he didn’t need to wear a lifejacket.’’
Authorities found the 56-year-old’s body on Tuesday at 3.40pm, 48 hours after he came off his board in Lake Tuggeranong.
Water police and police divers found Mr Dungca’s body using sonar technology. His immediate family has been notified.
Friends said the Philippines-born Canberra resident was an experienced windsurfer familiar with the area he went missing in.
The ACT SES and police boats and divers searched the water and the shores of Lake Tuggeranong for 48 hours, and were helped by the SnowyHydro Southcare helicopter and a Rural Fire Service helicopter.
The search began after a man was reported to have come off his board on the lake’s eastern side about 4pm on Sunday.
Mr Dungca’s board was found washed up on shore about two hours later.
ACT Policing’s Sergeant Mick Serbatoio previously said the conditions on the lake had been extremely windy on Sunday. ‘‘There was a north-westerly wind that was quite hot and blowing a gale,’’ he said.
Minutes before the reported incident, Canberra airport had wind gusts of up to 63km/h.
Police will prepare a report for the coroner. ‘‘ACT Policing would like to thank local residents for their patience and understanding during the search operation,’’ police said in a statement.