Malaysian diving trip accident: Two rescued after days in water

dpa Bangkok Two Europeans were rescued late on Friday, three days after they disappeared while diving off a southern Malaysian island, while a 14-year-old...

dpa BangkokTwo Europeans were rescued late on Friday, three days after they disappeared while diving off a southern Malaysian island, while a 14-year-old Dutch boy is still missing.The teenager is the son of one of the rescued persons, a 46-year-old British man, who said his child is dead, according to Nurul Hizam Zakaria of the Malaysian coastguard.The Malay Mail newspaper reported that the boy died of exhaustion after the divers had been drifting a long time. A search for the body is being conducted in Indonesian waters.The other rescued tourist was an 18-year-old French woman. She and the British man were found by fishermen during the night and brought to safety, according to the police. They are reportedly stable and being treated in a private hospital in the town of Pasir Gudang.The tourists left on Wednesday on a diving trip to the island of Pulau Tokong Sanggol, some 16.6 kilometres from the mainland, with their diving instructor. Authorities launched a search operation once they did not return to the boat.The instructor was found in good condition on Thursday after 20 hours in the water, but some 55.5 kilometres away from the site of the dive. According to her, the four had resurfaced when they were swept apart by strong currents.The other two rescued were found 129.6 kilometres from the diving site. The search for the missing boy is therefore focused on this area, police chief Cyril Edward Nuing said.The operation in Malaysia is temporarily suspended, he added. All merchant ships and fishing boats in the region have been asked to keep an eye out for the victim.According to the authorities, the divers were not only experienced, but also equipped with diving gear such as flippers and waistcoats, as well as training material.The captain of the boat that took the group out to sea raised concern on Wednesday after the they did not return. However, he has since been arrested because he had a positive drug test, according to the authorities.Malaysia is a popular destination for divers from all over the world.It is known for its untouched coral reefs and colourful underwater world.