22-year-old man drowns during scuba diving training at Pulau Perhentian

PASIR PUTEH: A 22-year-old man drowned while undergoing scuba diving training near Tokong Laut at Pulau Perhentian, Terengganu yesterday afternoon.

Kelantan Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) director, Captain Maritime Muhd Nur Syam Asmawie Yaacob, said the body of Mohamad Abbass Shabki was found by villagers at about 2.40 pm.

He said five personnel from the agency were dispatched to the location about 12.7 nautical miles from Kelantan MMEA jetty headquarters after they were informed of the incident.

"The police and the island community combed the area where the victim was last seen, before the MMEA boat arrived to take the body to Pulau Perhentian Besar jetty," he said in a statement today.

Muhd Nur Syam said the victim's body was later handed over to the Besut district police headquarters for further action.

"Investigations found that the victim and his four friends who are from Kelantan had travelled inter-state without a permit and as such they have violated the Movement Control standard operating procedures," he said adding that action would also be taken against the resort operator.

-- BERNAMA