A tragic incident unfolded off the coast of Verde Island in the Philippines, where two Russian divers lost their lives during a dive trip on Thursday.
According to authorities, one of the men is believed to have drowned, while the other was horribly attacked by sharks.
The shocking events have left both locals and tourists shaken.
The Dive Turns Into a Nightmare
The four Russian men, aged between 18 and 57, were diving with a Filipino instructor in one of the Philippines’ popular dive spots near Verde Island.
As the group descended into the water, they were swept apart by strong undercurrents.
While two members of the group, along with the instructor, managed to swim back to safety, Ilia Peregudin, 29, and Maksim Melekhov, 39, were separated from the others and went missing.
Rescue efforts were quickly launched by the dive instructor, other divers, and Philippine coast guard personnel.
After hours of searching, the first diver was found but tragically pronounced dead at a local hospital. Authorities confirmed the grim details of the discovery.
A Horrifying Shark Attack
The situation worsened when rescuers located the second missing diver, Maksim Melekhov, later that evening.
According to Coast Guard District Chief Airland Lapitan, Melekhov was discovered in a horrifying scene: he was being mauled by sharks.
It took over 30 minutes for the rescue team to pull him away from the predators. Sadly, the attack had already cost him his right arm.
Lapitan explained that it was unclear whether Melekhov had died from the shark attack or if he had already passed before the sharks reached him.
Despite the best efforts of the rescuers, Melekhov was found unconscious and later declared dead at a hospital in Batangas, an hour after being pulled from the water.
Investigation and Future Safety Measures
An investigation into the tragic incident is currently underway, with officials planning to meet to discuss ways to improve safety at Verde Island and other popular dive spots in the region.
The group had traveled by boat from Puerto Galera in Oriental Mindoro province to dive in the waters off Verde Island.
Shark attacks in the Philippines are incredibly rare, with none being recorded in the past year according to global databases.
Despite the infrequency of such attacks, the incident has raised serious concerns about diver safety in these waters.
The bodies of the two men have been returned to their families, and the Filipino coast guard is working closely with local authorities to understand how to prevent such a devastating tragedy from happening again.