2 Russians die while scuba diving in Batangas, one loses arms from ‘shark attack’

Two Russians died while scuba diving around Verde Island, Batangas on Thursday, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said Friday.

In a statement, the PCG said Coast Guard Station (CGS) Batangas commander Captain Airland Lapitan reported that four Russians were scuba diving in a portion of Pulong Bato when a sudden strong current washed them away.

Two of the four were able to get out of the water together with their dive master. However, the two others went missing.

The PCG said divers from Arkipelago Divers and Beach Resort who were diving in the vicinity waters off Pulong Bato found one of the missing divers on Thursday afternoon.

“He was immediately transported via speedboat to Sitio Aplaya, Brgy. Tabangao, Batangas," the PCG said. However, he was "declared dead on arrival at St. Patrick’s Hospital Medical Center at 3:23 PM."

The Coast Guard Substation (CGSS) Isla Verde then deployed High-Speed Response Boat 009 and two recreational boats for a search and retrieval operation to look for the other missing diver.

After a few hours, the lifeless body of the second missing Russian diver was found before 6 p.m.

“His remains were found floating near the shoreline of Pulong Bato, with both arms missing due to an apparent shark attack. Multiple sharks were observed in the vicinity during the recovery,” the PCG said.

“Witnesses and rescuers noted that his remains had sustained severe trauma consistent with a shark attack—both his left and right arms were missing, and several sharks were seen in the immediate vicinity,” it added.

"It was attacked by a shark. Maraming mga shark du'n sa area, sir. So ginawa ng tropa, inikot-ikutan para ma-prevent na i-attack talaga," Lapitan said, according to a report on Saksi on Friday.

(There were many sharks in the area, sir. So the troops circled around [the body] to prevent a shark attack.)

"But noong na-retrieve nila 'yun, sir, unfortunately, he lost his both arms. Both arms 'yung wala na," he added.

(When they retrieved the body, unfortunately, he already lost both of his arms.)

According to the PCG, the body of the second missing diver was transported to Puerto Galera where the diver tourists were staying.

“Following the necessary procedures, the remains were turned over to local funeral service in Brgy. Poblacion, Puerto Galera, for proper handover to the victim’s relatives,” the PCG said.

The body of the first diver found, however, was still in the Batangas hospital as of Friday night.

Diving trip

The victims' boat reportedly departed Puerto Galera around 9:30 a.m. Thursday for the diving activity.

The group included a boat captain, two crew members, two master divers, and seven divers including one Brazilian and six Russian nationals who were initially dropped off at Sawang Dive Camp before proceeding to Pulong Bato for a second dive.

Based on the account of one of the survivors, four divers and their dive master entered the water at around 1:00 p.m.

“However, 30 minutes into the dive, they encountered strong underwater currents, causing them to be separated,” the PCG said.

At around 3:45 p.m., the CGSS Isla Verde received a report from a resident of Bulalacao, Oriental Mindoro about the missing divers from recreational boat "D' Ocean Riders."

Russian Embassy

The Russian Embassy to the Philippines said Friday they were coordinating with law enforcement authorities of the Philippines and the medical institutions holding the victims’ bodies.

“The Embassy is searching for relatives of the victims… We have requested official comments from the Philippine side on the case,” it said in a statement.

Not a shark attack?

The PCG said it was the first shark attack on divers around Verde Island, according to the Saksi report by Ivan Mayrina.

However, a diving expert expressed doubts that the incident was due to a shark attack.

"I will never believe that a shark will attack because every dive na ginawa ko diyan, may shark kaming nakikita," dive master Romir Aglugub, who has been diving for more than four decades, said.

(I will never believe that a shark will attack because every time that I went diving there, we would see sharks.)

"Sabi nila, marami raw shark na paaligid-ligid doon. Eh natural because that is the breeding and feeding site of all marine life. Kaya you will really see sharks around Verde Island," he said. 

(They said there were many sharks moving around. That's natural because that is the breeding and feeding site of all marine life. That is why you will really see sharks around Verde Island.)

But the incident could have been due to the strong current, Aglugub said, adding that an investigation is needed.

"Baka 'yon because of strong current, waves, hinampas-hampas na 'yon sa corals. Kasi sa lakas doon eh talagang magkalasog-lasog ang katawan," he said.

(That could have been due to the strong current, waves, causing the body to hit the corals. Due to the impact, a body would really be battered.)

"'Yung mga expert puwedeng magsabi kung 'yung wound ba is caused by bite marks or sharp objects, nasugatan dahil sa sharp edges of stone," he added.

(Experts can determine if the wounds were caused by bite marks or sharp objects, if the body was injured due to sharp edges of stones.)

The PCG Batangas is already investigating the matter.

It also advised dive resorts in the area to strictly follow safety protocols. —with a report from Jiselle Anne C. Casucian/AOL/RSJ/BAP/KG, GMA Integrated News