Two Chinese tourists drown at popular beach in Indonesia
Two Chinese tourists drowned at a popular beach in Indonesia, with police now investigating alleged negligence by local tour operators.
Guo Xingyou, 29, and Sha Gingyang, 30, were not wearing life jackets when they went snorkelling off Kelor Island in East Nusa Tenggara, on July 15.
They allegedly entered rough waters without supervision before being swept away by rogue waves at around 12 noon local time.
Panic erupted when members of the tour group spotted Guo floating motionless on the surface at around 12:45 pm.
Rescuers pulled her out of the water and performed CPR before rushing her to Labuan Bajo Harbour. She was taken to Komodo Regional Hospital in the seaside town of Labuan Bajo, where she was later declared dead.
A search and rescue team scoured the sea for Sha, who was seen snorkelling with her.
His lifeless body was located near the seabed four hours later, drifting some 32 metres underwater around 0.21 nautical miles from where he disappeared.
Footage shows divers pulling the tourist back up to the surface, where boats were waiting to take them to shore.
Christian Ketika, police chief of West Manggarai Regency, said both casualties were at the Komodo Regional Hospital pending repatriation.
He said: 'It is strongly suspected that the two victims were swept away by strong currents from the west side of the island, causing extreme exhaustion.
'On behalf of the West Manggarai Police and all elements of the Labuan Bajo community, we express our deepest condolences to the victims' families and the Government of the People's Republic of China for this deeply concerning tragedy.'
He added that a probe has been launched over alleged safety violations.
The pair reportedly arrived at the Marina Waterfront Labuan Bajo Harbor at 10 am for a hiking and snorkelling trip to Kelor Island.
But instead of being accompanied by a licensed tour guide, they were reportedly guided by a vocational student undergoing field work training.
The tour group completed a hillside trek before diving off the coast, equipped with masks, goggles, and fins provided by the crew.
However, they were allegedly not given life jackets.
The provincial police chief said the incident has 'tarnished efforts to build Labuan Bajo as a world-class destination'.
He added: 'It's completely unreasonable to allow tourists to snorkel in an area with dynamic currents without wearing life jackets, and even more concerning, they were only accompanied by schoolchildren on internships, without any supervision from the captain, crew, or licensed guides. This is a clear form of negligence that disregards safety.
'We apply the principle of zero tolerance for negligence in shipping and marine tourism safety standards. We will immediately issue a police report to investigate the alleged violation.
'We will conduct a thorough examination of the captain, crew, and even the ship's owner. We will also investigate why an uncertified intern was given such heavy responsibility in the field.
'If it is proven that there was deliberate violation of safety procedures for economic gain, we will take firm legal action without hesitation.'
Indonesia's beaches, though stunning, pose several dangers including strong rip currents, rogue waves, and unpredictable tides that can make swimming perilous, especially for inexperienced swimmers.
Just last month, teenager Elmi Febrianti, 17, drowned after she was swept away by a rogue wave while posing for selfies at the Apparalang cliffs in Bulukumba Regency in South Sulawesi.
The youngster was reportedly recreating a seaside pose inspired by American singer SZA before being dragged into the sea.
Rescuers recovered her body hours later as visitors were urged to be careful at coastal tourist sites.
