KUANTAN, Sept 13 —  An Indian national drowned after she was believed to have slipped off a boat following a scuba diving activity in the waters of Renggis, Pulau Tioman in Rompin yesterday. 

Rompin district police chief Supt Sharif Shai Sharif Mondoi said police received a call from the Tekek Health Clinic at about 10 am regarding the drowning of Sabiya Shiek, 65.

He said initial investigations revealed the victim had taken part in a discovery scuba diving session with six family members, accompanied by two instructors and a dive master.

“After the session, the victim informed the instructor that she wished to return to the boat.

“However, after her child helped remove her diving gear, Sabiya is believed to have slipped while climbing the ladder to get on board and fell back into the sea,” he said in a statement yesterday. 

He said diving instructors launched an immediate search and located the victim about 15 minutes later, lying unconscious on the sandy seabed near the dive site.

The victim was taken to the Tekek Health Clinic on Pulau Tioman, where a medical officer pronounced her dead, with a post-mortem scheduled at the Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital here on Monday. — Bernama