2 Russian divers die off Batangas
SEA TRAGEDY Rescuers carry the body of one of two Russian scuba divers who were found dead off Verde Island in Batangas City on Thursday. —AP
Two Russian tourists died while scuba diving in Batangas, with one believed to have drowned while the other was attacked by sharks, a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) official said on Friday.
PCG provincial commander Capt. Airland Lapitan said the two Russians were part of a seven-man diving party, consisting of one Brazilian and six Russians, plus two Filipino dive masters.
The party traveled by boat from the De Luna Diving Center in Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro, at 9:30 a.m. and later divided into two groups each guided by a Filipino dive master.
While diving, one of the two groups were swept away by strong undercurrents, Lapitan said.
Two of the Russians managed to surface with the dive instructor but the two other Russians, who were identified as Ilia Peregudin, 29, and Maksim Melekhov, 39, went missing.
Missing persons
Lapitan said the PCG station in Isla Verde—an islet in Batangas City—received a report around 3:45 p.m. on Thursday about missing divers.
The dive instructor and other divers in the area, along with PCG personnel, immediately launched a search, according to Lapitan.
At 1:50 p.m., another group of divers found Melekhov floating unconscious.
He was transported by speedboat to Sitio Aplaya in Barangay Tabangao and rushed to St. Patrick’s Hospital Medical Center in Batangas City, but was declared dead on arrival.
Later, at 5:34 p.m., the PCG search and rescue team discovered Perigudin’s body near the shoreline. His arms were missing, believed to be the result of a shark attack.
“The other Russian diver was found while being attacked by sharks. His right arm, unfortunately, [was] severed and the sharks were moving around him,” Lapitan told The Associated Press (AP). “They somehow managed to pull him away.”
Probe under way
The remains of both victims were turned over to a local funeral parlor in Puerto Galera for proper handover to their relatives.
An investigation is under way and the coast guard will meet provincial officials to discuss ways to prevent such deadly incidents at Verde Island and other dive spots, Lapitan said.
In an advisory released on Friday afternoon, the PCG District Southern Tagalog urged divers and dive operators “to exercise heightened vigilance and adhere to strict safety protocols, particularly in areas with strong currents and active marine life.” —WITH REPORTS FROM AP AND DELFIN MALLARI
