Tragedy struck in the Philippines on Thursday, February 27, when two Russian tourists lost their lives in a shark attack.
Ilia Peregudin, 29, and Maksim Melekhov, 39, were enjoying a dive at a renowned site near Verde Island, celebrated for its diverse marine life and vibrant coral reefs, located in the province of Batangas.
Verde Island, often hailed as the “center of marine biodiversity” globally, attracts many divers and nature enthusiasts.
The location offered breathtaking scenery as the pair explored the sea floor, swimming among exotic fish and colorful reefs.
However, as they were returning to the surface, they reportedly encountered strong undercurrents that swept them into shark-infested waters.
Observations from a nearby boat noted one diver floating face-down in the turbulent waters, prompting the crew to call for emergency assistance.
The Philippine Coast Guard reached the site at around 1pm local time and successfully retrieved Ilia, who was found unconscious in the water.
Despite being rushed to Saint Patrick Hospital in Batangas City, he was declared dead upon arrival.
Maksim was discovered by the Coast Guard hours later, having sustained a severe injury, with one arm missing, suggesting a shark attack.
Commenting on the incident, Captain Airland Lapitan, head of the provincial Coast Guard Station, explained: “There was a strong current, and the group were separated. Two of them who were with the master diver were able to return to their boat, but the other two failed to resurface. We had a difficult time recovering one of the divers because there were sharks circling around the body. We believe the individual was attacked by sharks because their right hand was missing.”
Prior to the tragic event, local Diego Reyes had been diving with the Russian visitors.
Reflecting on the incident, Reyes shared: “Everything was very overwhelming and traumatising. We personally experienced that there were strong currents left and right and also strong waves at the surface. It was really challenging to get back with the group once you got separated. I hope authorities would be able to figure out what really happened to them. Thank you Lord for keeping our group safe. Rest in peace to the Russian divers.”
Local officials have initiated an investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.