A 30-year-old Chinese tourist drowned off the coast of Indonesia’s Kakaban Island after attempting to retrieve a GoPro camera she had dropped during a dive.
Zhang Xiaohan, an experienced diver who reportedly holds a Divemaster certification, was part of a diving tour with 12 other guests and three guides from Green Nirvana Resort on the morning of May 3.
The group had descended to a depth of 98 feet (30 meters) at the Kelapa Dua dive site, known for its steep underwater walls and thresher shark sightings. During the ascent and while pausing for a safety stop at around five meters, Xiaohan lost hold of her GoPro. Despite warnings from one of the guides, she decided to dive back down to retrieve the camera.
According to local authorities and witness reports, Xiaohan re-entered the water without full scuba gear. She quickly disappeared from view and did not resurface. After several minutes, two guides dove to look for her but were unable to locate her. She was officially reported missing at approximately 9 a.m. local time.
The Indnoesian National Search and Rescue Agency Basarnas Balikpapan joined forces with local Search and Rescue units, and military divers, to launch a joint search operation.
“A team of divers from the joint SAR unit was deployed and managed to locate the victim at a depth of 87 meters, but initial attempts to retrieve her were unsuccessful due to the extreme depth,” Endrow Sasmita, head of Basarnas Balikpapan, tells The South China Morning Post. “The search location was quite difficult and challenging, but thanks to the support of all parties, the victim was successfully found. This is the result of solid teamwork.”
Xiaohan’s body was eventually recovered at 2:55 p.m. that same day and brought to the Abdul Rivai Regional Hospital in Berau for a forensic examination.
The incident has reportedly sparked a wave of discussion on Chinese social media, where many users expressed sadness and frustration over the loss.
“No camera or footage is as important as your life,” writes one person, per The South China Morning Post.
Authorities believe a strong undercurrent may have swept Xiaohan away as she attempted to retrieve her equipment. It is believed that she was eaten by sharks before the remains of her body surfaced.
Image credits: Header photo licensed via Depositphotos.
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