Remains of newlywed couple who drowned in Maldives arrive at NAIA



By MARGARET CLAIRE LAYUG, GMA News
The remains of the newlywed Filipino couple who drowned while on a honeymoon in Maldives arrived on Etihad Airways flight EY 424 at NAIA on Saturday afternoon, Super Radyo dzBB's Sam Nielsen reported.
Nielsen said the couple's remains arrived at NAIA at about 3:21 p.m.
Officials from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administrations and the parents of the victims were at NAIA to claim the bodies of the victims.
Leomer and Erika Joyce Lagradilla, who got married last December 2018, were on their honeymoon when they drowned off Dhiffushi Island while snorkeling last January 13.
Erika worked in Jeddah, Leomer in Singapore. After 10 years into their relationship, they decided to get married and had their wedding last December.
In a tweet, GMA News' Katrina Son said family members of the couple were waiting for the repatriated remains of their loved ones.
Members of the couple's  families told dzBB that the victims' remains will be brought to their final resting place on January 26, 2019.
Leomer's wake will be in Lumban, Laguna (his home town) and Erika's will be in Sta. Cruz, Laguna (her home town).
Last week, the Department of Foreign Affairs vowed to shoulder the repatriation expenses of the couple's remains.
After meeting with DFA officials, the father of Leomer said Secretary Teddy Locsin Jr. assured them that the agency will shoulder the expenses. —LBG/MDM/BM, GMA News

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