Two players from the Ateneo Blue Eagles (the basketball team of Ateneo de Manila University, one of the Philippines' most prominent universities) have spoken publicly about how they nearly drowned during a team-building exercise on June 8 in Dipaculao, Aurora, that killed teammates Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili. Kieffer Alas and Sam Reyes described being swept away by powerful waves while standing in thigh-deep water, with neither knowing how to swim and no life vests provided; Alas said he spent more than 20 seconds underwater and had "given up" before his feet touched the sand, while Reyes said he was unable to make progress toward shore despite repeated attempts. The two survivors, who said they eventually helped each other out of the water while suffering from cramps, appealed for public compassion after receiving death threats, and said the tragedy revealed that safety measures on the day had been inadequate.