In a tragic turn of events, two Russian divers have lost their lives in the Philippines after being swept away by strong undercurrents during a diving trip.
One diver is believed to have drowned, while the other was attacked by sharks in a horrifying ordeal.
The incident occurred off Verde Island, a popular diving destination, on Thursday.
The Dive Goes Wrong
Four Russian men, aged between 18 and 57, were diving with a Filipino dive instructor when the group was separated by powerful undercurrents.
While two of the divers and the instructor managed to make it back to the boat safely, two others, Ilia Peregudin, 29, and Maksim Melekhov, 39, went missing.
Search and Rescue Efforts
Upon realizing the two divers were missing, the dive instructor and nearby divers, alongside Philippine coast guard personnel, immediately launched a search.
Unfortunately, the first diver found was declared dead upon arrival at a local hospital.
The second diver, Melekhov, was found later that evening in a truly horrific situation.
A Shark Attack and Rescue Effort
According to the coast guard, Melekhov was discovered being attacked by sharks.
It took rescuers over 30 minutes to pry him away from the sharks, with the man suffering a severe injury — his right arm was severed during the attack.
It remains unclear if the man was already deceased when the sharks began their attack, or if the wounds led to his death.
Despite the desperate rescue effort, Melekhov was found unconscious an hour later and pronounced dead at a hospital in Batangas.
Investigation and Plans for Prevention
An investigation is currently underway to determine the cause of the incident.
The coast guard has announced plans to meet with local officials to discuss how to prevent such tragic occurrences at Verde Island and other dive sites.
Shark attacks are incredibly rare in the Philippines, with no recorded incidents in at least a year, according to global shark attack databases.
A Devastating Loss
The group of divers had traveled by boat from Puerto Galera, located in Oriental Mindoro province, to dive in the waters off Verde Island.
The deaths of these two divers have cast a shadow over what was meant to be an unforgettable adventure.
The families of the victims have since received their loved ones’ bodies, though an autopsy was not conducted.