(UPDATED)
Two Russian men who went on a scuba diving trip in Verde Island, Batangas City died after being swept away by a strong current and an apparent shark attack on Thursday, Feb. 27, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said.
Captain Airland Lapitan, commander of Coast Guard Station (CGS) Batangas, identified the fatalities as Ilia Peregudin, 29, and Maksim Melekhov, 39.
According to the CGS Batangas, Peregudin and Melekhov were with two other companions, 57-year-old Eduard Peregudin (male) and 18-year-old Timofei Peregudin (male) when they went to Verde Island for scuba diving.
The four-member group, along with a master diver, came from Puerto Galera in Oriental Mindoro and arrived in Verde Island around 1 p.m.
“While they were diving, a strong current suddenly swept them away which separated their group. Fortunately, the master diver and two foreigners (Eduard and Timofei) managed to reach their boat. But the two others went missing,” Lapitan told the Manila Bulletin in a phone call.
A search and rescue (SAR) operation was immediately conducted by the CGS Batangas.
“Around 3 or 4 p.m., our personnel found one of the two missing foreigners (Melekhov) but he was unconscious,” Lapitan said.
Melekhov was rushed to St. Patrick’s Hospital Medical Center in Batangas City where he was pronounced dead on arrival (DOA) by an attending doctor.
Shortly after that, a PCG rescuer also found the lifeless body of Ilia, with both his arms missing, Lapitan said.
“We suspect that it was a shark attack. It was very unfortunate,” Lapitan said.
The CGS Batangas has coordinated with the local government of Batangas for the turnover of the remains of the Russian tourists as well as further assistance of the survivors.