An Afghan tourist has died during an introductory scuba dive with his daughter off Kampung Salang on the Malaysian island of Pulau Tioman.
Civil engineer Mohammed Seyar Musazay, 55, who lived in California, was taking part in the session on Wednesday, 30 September, with his 24-year-old daughter and a diving instructor when he got into difficulty.
Rompin district police chief Superintendent Sharif Shai Sharif Mondoi said the pair had received a briefing on using the equipment, followed by practical training at the beach before heading out to sea.
‘At about 11 am, the victim, his daughter and a scuba diving instructor went out to take part in a DSD (Discover Scuba Diving) activity,’ said Sharif Shai.
‘They were at a depth of 6m for about 20 minutes. As the diving session was almost over, the instructor helped the victim’s daughter to the surface when he spotted the victim struggling in the water.
‘The instructor approached [Musazay] and found that his breathing apparatus (regulator) had become detached from his mouth and that he was unconscious.’
Sharif Shai said that Musazay was brought ashore and taken by a local boat to Kampung Tekek Health Clinic, where a medical officer pronounced him dead at 12.40 pm.
His body was subsequently transferred to Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital in Kuantan for a post-mortem examination.
The incident closely follows the death of an Indian tourist on 12 September, who died when she fell off the dive boat after an introductory dive near Pulau Renggis, also located off the shores of Tioman.
Police said Sabiya Shiek, 65, had removed her diving equipment and was attempting to board the boat when she reportedly slipped from the ladder and fell into the sea. She was found unconscious on the sandy seabed approximately 15 minutes later.
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