It is the nightmare of all water sports enthusiasts: After a dive off Malaysia, four Europeans were unable to reach their boat due to a strong current – and drifted in the sea. Now there was some redeeming news.
A day-long search in the sea has led to success. Two of the three divers missing off Malaysia were found on Saturday.
(dpa)
It almost borders on a miracle: Two of the three divers from Europe missing off Malaysia were rescued alive from the sea after three days. A 46-year-old Briton and an 18-year-old French woman were discovered by fishermen on Saturday night and taken to safety, the police said. Her condition is reportedly stable. They are being treated in a private hospital in the city of Pasir Gudang.
Nevertheless, there is still concern: a 14-year-old with Dutch nationality – the son of the rescued Briton – has been searched for a long time. Now he is apparently dead. “He is still missing but his father has confirmed he is dead,” said Nurul Hizam Zakaria of the Malaysian Coast Guard (MMEA).
The tourists, together with their Norwegian diving instructor, went on a diving trip off the island of Pulau Tokong Sanggol in the state of Johor on Wednesday, about nine nautical miles (16.6 kilometers) from the mainland. When they did not return to the boat, the authorities launched a search operation by water and from the air – with success.
The diving instructor of the group of missing at sea was found on Thursday.
The 35-year-old diving instructor, who was also initially missing, was found in good condition on Thursday after 20 hours in the water – but 30 nautical miles from the site of the dive. According to their statements, the four were back on the water surface when they were driven apart by strong currents.
«Search efforts should focus on Indonesian waters»
The two rescued were discovered 70 nautical miles from the dive site north of the Indonesian island of Bintan in the Riau archipelago. “Based on our information, we believe that the search efforts should focus on Indonesian waters,” said Niung, referring to the missing youth.
The operation in Malaysia will be temporarily suspended. The colleagues in the neighboring country were informed and would continue the search from there. All merchant ships and fishing boats in the region have been asked to keep an eye out for the boy.
From the start, the authorities had shown confidence that the missing could be recovered alive. They were not only experienced divers, but also equipped with diving equipment such as fins and vests as well as training material, it said. All had apparently been training for the Advanced Open Water Diver certification.
The captain of the boat that took the group out to sea had sounded the alarm on Wednesday after the group failed to return. However, he has now been arrested because, according to reports from the authorities, he tested positive for drugs.
The Southeast Asian dreamland of Malaysia is popular with divers from all over the world. It is known for its pristine coral reefs and colorful marine life.