Yahoo Lifestyle 2 Divers Dead After Getting Swept Away. One Was Found with 'Both Arms Missing' and Sharks Nearby: Coast Guard
The victims were identified as Maksim Melekhov, 39, and Ilya Perigudin, 29, authorities said
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A shark.Two Russian divers were found dead after getting swept away near a Philippines resort, officials said.
Maksim Melekhov, 39, and Ilya Perigudin, 29, were diving with Perigudin's father and his 18-year-old brother near the Batangas resort area on Thursday, Feb. 27, when they were all swept away and separated by "strong underwater currents," according to a statement from the Philippine Coast Guard.
Perigudin's father and brother as well as their dive master "managed to return safely to the boat," and they were "found in good health," according to the authorities. But Melekhov and Ilya initially remained missing.
Just before 2 p.m. local time, "divers from Arkipelago Divers and Beach Resort, who were also conducting a dive in the vicinity waters off Pulong Bato, discovered Mr. Maksim Melekhov unconscious," the agency said.
Melekhov was pronounced dead at a local hospital, Philippine coast guard provincial commander Capt. Airland Lapitan told the Associated Press.
In their statement, Coast Guard officials said Perigudin's remains were found "floating near the shoreline of Pulong Bato, with both arms missing." At the time, officials spotted "multiple" sharks nearby.
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"Witnesses and rescuers noted that his remains had sustained severe trauma consistent with a shark attack," the coast guard noted.
Lapitan previously told Agence France-Presse that Perigudin was "being pulled by a shark" when he was found, although it remained unknown if he had been killed in an attack or was already dead.
Local officials did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for additional comment.
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Following the tragic incident, the Philippine Coast Guard urged "divers and dive operators to exercise heightened vigilance and adhere to strict safety protocols, particularly in areas with strong currents and active marine life."
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