Scuba diving, snorkelling activities in Mersing waters ordered to stop immediately

Mersing district officer Mohammed Shakib Ali said stern action will be taken against those who defy the order.

"All resort, chalet and tourist, island-hop boats and diving centre operators are asked to stop all scuba diving and snorkelling in Mersing district waters effectively immediately," he said in a statement here today.

The order comes in the wake of yesterday's incident involving four foreign scuba divers who went missing while diving in Pulau Tokong Sanggol, about nine nautical miles from Tanjung Leman here.

So far only, diving instructor Kristine Grodem, 35, a Norwegian, has been found safe in Tanjung Sedili waters near Kota Tinggi, about 30 nautical miles from the location of the incident.

Mersing has five main islands namely Pulau Sibu, Pulau Besar, Pulau Tinggi, Pulau Aur and Pulau Pemanggil.