A 31-year-old woman died from arterial gas embolism while diving off Pulau Tioman, with police ruling out criminal elements.
KUANTAN: A local woman died while diving in the waters off Kampung Salang, Pulau Tioman, last Sunday.
Rompin police chief Supt Sharif Shai Sharif Mondoi said the victim, Heng Jing Ying, 31, had taken part in the ‘Aware Coral’ activity organised by Tioman Dive Buddy Centre, Kampung Genting, from July 17 to 18.
He said on July 19, the victim, together with nine other participants, an instructor and a dive master, joined a fun dive at Seafan, Batu Malang, Pulau Tulai.
“Before the activity, the participants were briefed on safety procedures and equipment usage, although they were licensed divers,” he said in a statement today.
Sharif Shai said the victim was believed to have separated from the group while at a depth of 17.6 metres, leading the instructor to conduct a search.
“After almost 30 minutes, the victim was found on the sandy seabed not far from the diving site,” he said.
He said the victim was given CPR after being brought onto the boat but showed no response before being taken to Kampung Tekek Clinic, where she was pronounced dead.
Her body was later sent to the Forensic Unit of Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital (HTAA) for a post-mortem.
Sharif Shai said the post-mortem found that she died from arterial gas embolism (AGE), a condition where gas or air bubbles enter the arterial bloodstream.
Police investigations found no criminal elements involved, and the case was classified as sudden death.
