Two Russian tourists die in Batangas after drowning, shark attack
Two Russian tourists died while diving in Verde Island, Batangas on Thursday, the Coast Guard District Southern Tagalog reported.
The tourists came from Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro with one boat captain, two crew members, two Dive Masters, and five other foreign divers: one Brazilian and five Russian nationals.
One of the survivors, 57-year-old Eduart Perigudin, recounted that four of the divers and their Dive Master entered the water at around 1 PM. 30 minutes into the dive, the group was separated by strong undercurrents.
Perigudin, his 18-year-old son Timofy Perigudin, and their Dive Master managed to return to the boat without sustaining any injuries. However, the remaining two divers, later identified as Ilya Peregudin, 29, and Maksim Melekhov, 39, were missing.
At 1:50 p.m., other divers discovered Maksim unconscious at sea. He was rushed via speedboat to Sitio Aplaya, Brgy. Tabangao, Batangas, before being declared dead on arrival at St. Patrick’s Hospital Medical Center by 3:23 p.m.
Ilya, on the other hand, was found at 5:34 p.m. after a search-and-retrieval operation led by Coast Guard Substation Isla Verde. His remains were discovered with both arms missing, possibly due to a shark attack. Several sharks were also found in the vicinity.
The Philippine Coast Guard has since urged divers to “exercise heightened vigilance and adhere to strict safety protocols,” especially in areas with strong currents.
Capt. Airland Lapitan, commander of Coast Guard Station Batangas, advised the public to hold off from diving in the area. Local officials are also looking into possible restrictions.
Verde Island is a popular diving spot due to its biodiverse marine life, with surrounding provinces petitioning for the Verde Island Passage to be declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
