A Chinese Diver Found Dead at Dive Site Kelapa Dua, Atol Kakaban

(Kelapa Dua Dive Site di Atol Kakaban, Berau | Foto: Sukaselam.com)

SUKASELAM.COM, Berau – A 30-year-old woman Chinese diver who had a diving accident at the Kelapa Dua dive site, Atol Kakaban, Berau Regency, East Kalimantan Province, was found dead on Saturday (3/5) afternoon, said local search and rescue agency.

The diver, Zhang Xiao Han, was reported missing at Kelapa Dua dive site on Friday (2/5) while diving with a group of 12 recreational divers of her friends and 4 dive guides.

The body of Zhang was found at a depth of 87 meters at near the location of her dive-entry at Kelapa Dua dive site.

"The victim, Zhang Xiao Han (30 years), a diver from China, was found by the joint operation of SAR Team on local time 14.55 at the depth of 87 meters at the Kelapa Dua dive site route, near the location of the initial incident," said Endrow Sasmita, Head of the Operation and Alertness Section of the Balikpapan SAR Agency, on Saturday (3/5) quoted by Antara news agency.

Quoted from many sources Zhang is an experienced diver. On the day she is joint with scuba-diving trip that organized Grand Nirvana Dive Resort, a local recreational dive operator. She went with a group of 12 divers and 4 dive guides. They went to dive in the morning with good weather. 

After about 40 minutes dove, the dive guide were giving instruction to ascending.

But, when she was at about five meters below the sea surface, Zhang's camera slipped from his grab and fell into the depths. Zhang then decided to dive again to retrieve the fallen camera. And after waited for several minutes by the group, Zhang did not appear on the surface.

The dive guide and then contact to local police to get help. The local police then to contact Balikpapan search and rescue agency.

"We received a report of the missing foreigner on Friday, around 15.00 WITA from the Berau Police. We immediately mobilized the team at 15.20 WITA to the location of the incident, traveling a distance of around 65.63 nautical miles," said Endrow Sasmita.

By joint operation of local SAR Agency, local police, local military, local diver, and local fisherman, they were diving at around the dive site and also searching on the waters of around Atol Kakaban. Zhang's body was finally found a day later on Saturday afternoon.

Kelapa Dua dive site is one of the popular dive sites in Atol Kakaban. This site is famous for being the home of thresher sharks (Alopias pelagicus). One of the marine lives that today to be divers most curious.

At Kelapa Dua dive site, these sharks usually appear in the morning, when the water temperature is cold, around 24-25 Celsius. And usually appear at the extreme depths, around 30-40 meters.

Except thresher sharks as the main attraction for divers here, Kelapa Dua is also inhabited health coral reef ecosystem, and home of many coral reef fishes and pelagic.

Atol Kakaban is part of Derawan Islands popular diving destination in Indonesia. There are any many islands, but the main attraction of diver is usually at three main island that is Derawan Island, Atol Kakaban, and Atol Maratua.  ***

Wahyuana