MANILA, Aug. 11 (Xinhuanet) -- One Philippine diver looter drowned in Subic Bay near the former US navy base north of Manila, when stealing valuable artifacts from the sunken warships, authority of the bay area said Thursday.

    The diver had attempted to reach the sunken battleship U.S.S. New York served in the second world war, according to Jose Calimlim, deputy administrator of Subic Bay metropolitan authority.

    He noted that the local patrol ship found a small boat carryingtwo diver looters, who were apprehended after a short chase.

    One of the divers escaped from the patrolmen and drowned to death due to his poor diving gears, the authority said.

    The other diver was arrested, with his looted materials such asscrap metals confiscated.

    The sunken U.S.S. New York has been attracting looters who steal artifacts, including copperwares and any other valuables they can sell for money. Enditem