Two Russian divers died in the Philippines after they have been wiped out by strong underflows – probably drowned with one with one and, according to officials, the other has drunk a horrible shark attack.
Four Russian men from 18 to 57 years of age dive diving with a Filipino diving instructor in a popular destination for Verde Island on Thursday when they were pulled apart by the current one, Coast Guards said.
While two members of the group and the instructor managed to swim back to their boat safely, two of the tourists, who were identified as Ilia Peregudin, 29, and Maksim Melekhov, 39, were missing.
The first man found by rescuers was declared dead on arrival in a local hospital, said Coast Guard District Chief Airland Lapitan Lapitan.
“The other was found at around 4-5:30 am (0800-0930 GMT Friday) and picked up around 5 pm,” said Lapitan.
“When the rescuers found him, he was pulled by a shark. He was finally picked up, but his arm was missing. '
It was unclear whether the man was killed by the shark or was already dead, Lapitan said, because the bodies without autopsy were transferred to family members.
The bodies of the two Russian divers were found by the Coast Guard
The group of divers is seen shortly before the tragedy struck
The group was wiped apart by strong underflows in the sea in front of the island of Verde
Melekhov was found unconscious at sea an hour later and was declared dead by doctors in a Batangas hospital, he said.
An investigation is underway and the Coast Guard will meet provincial officials to discuss ways to prevent such deadly incidents at Verde Island and other dive sites, Lapitan said.
The group had traveled by boat to the waters of the island of Verde from the nearby city of Puerto Galera in the province of Oriental Mindoro.
