A Hong Kong man drowned yesterday morning during a diving trip in Malaysia’s Sipadan Island Marine Park.
Ng Chi-ming, 53, and 10 other tourists were diving at Barracuda Point, a popular dive site in the park, at around 6:45am, The Star reports. About 10 minutes later, the group divemaster realised Ng was missing. He and the other divers searched the area for roughly 45 minutes before seeking assistance from park staff.
A team of park staff and members of the Malaysian navy conducted a search for Ng, and found him at 8:55am, around 55 metres below the surface of the water. He was taken to Semporna Hospital, where he was certified dead.
Semporna police chief Peter Umbuas said the authorities have ruled out foul play for now, and that a post-mortem examination would be conducted on Ng today, reports the New Straits Times.
Sipadan, located in Malaysian Borneo, is one of the most popular diving destinations in the world. It is home to over 3,000 species of fish and coral, and endangered green and hawksbill turtles can often be seen swimming in its waters.
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