Two Russian Divers Die in Tragic Incident Off Batangas
RUSSIAN DIVERS – Two Russian divers tragically lost their lives in a diving incident off the coast of Batangas.
Batangas, Philippines – Two Russian tourists lost their lives in a tragic scuba diving accident in Batangas, with one believed to have drowned and the other falling victim to a shark attack, a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) official confirmed on Friday.
PCG provincial commander Capt. Airland Lapitan reported that the victims were part of a seven-member diving group, consisting of one Brazilian and six Russians, accompanied by two Filipino dive masters. The group departed from the De Luna Diving Center in Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro, at 9:30 a.m. for a diving expedition in the waters near Isla Verde, Batangas.
During their dive, the group split into two, each led by a Filipino dive master. However, one group encountered strong undercurrents, leading to the distressing incident. While two Russian divers managed to resurface safely with their instructor, two others—identified as Ilia Peregudin, 29, and Maksim Melekhov, 39—went missing.
The PCG station in Isla Verde received a report at around 3:45 p.m. on Thursday regarding the missing divers, prompting an immediate search operation.
At approximately 1:50 p.m., a separate group of divers found Melekhov floating unconscious. He was swiftly transported by speedboat to Sitio Aplaya in Barangay Tabangao and rushed to St. Patrick’s Hospital Medical Center in Batangas City, but he was pronounced dead on arrival.
Later, at 5:34 p.m., the PCG search and rescue team located Peregudin’s body near the shoreline. Disturbingly, his arms were missing, an injury suspected to have resulted from a shark attack.
“The other Russian diver was found while being attacked by sharks. His right arm, unfortunately, [was] severed and the sharks were moving around him,” Capt. Lapitan told The Associated Press. “They somehow managed to pull him away.”
Authorities have since turned over the victims’ remains to a local funeral parlor in Puerto Galera for proper coordination with their families.
An investigation is ongoing, with the PCG set to meet provincial officials to discuss enhanced safety measures for divers in Verde Island and other popular dive spots. In response to the incident, the PCG District Southern Tagalog issued an advisory urging divers and operators to exercise heightened vigilance and adhere to strict safety protocols, especially in areas with strong currents and active marine life.
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