Tragedy Strikes Russian Tourists in Philippine Diving Misadventure

Two Russian tourists perished in a scuba diving incident off Verde Island, Philippines, one from drowning and another after a shark attack. Two others survived. Rescues and investigations are underway to improve dive safety, as confirmed by the Philippine coast guard.

Tragedy struck a popular diving destination off Verde Island, south of Manila, as two Russian tourists lost their lives. The pair, who were scuba diving in the area, succumbed to strong undercurrents. While one tourist reportedly drowned, the other faced a fatal shark attack, according to a statement from the Philippine coast guard on Friday.

Two other Russian tourists narrowly escaped the perils, successfully swimming back to their dive boat on Thursday. Capt. Airland Lapitan, provincial commander for the Philippine coast guard, confirmed the incident occurred in the province of Batangas. The group of tourists embarked on their dive with a local instructor, setting out from Puerto Galera in Oriental Mindoro province.

Efforts to improve safety measures are being prioritized. This includes a meeting with provincial officials to formulate strategies to prevent similar tragedies at Verde Island and other renowned dive locations, Lapitan stated. The investigation into the tragic accident continues, as such incidents raise concerns about tourist safety in diving hot spots.

(With inputs from agencies.)