Sultan of Johor orders temporary stop to diving activities in Mersing

JOHOR BAHRU: Sultan of Johor Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar has ordered for all diving activities in Mersing waters to be stopped temporarily.

This is following yesterday's incident in which four foreign scuba divers went missing in Pulau Tokong Sanggul, near Pulau Sibu.

"I want all diving activities to be stopped temporarily until we can ascertain what actually happened to them (missing divers). Diving activities cannot continue if there are doubts about safety levels.

"Current diving activity regulations must also be thoroughly reviewed before they are allowed to operate again," Sultan Ibrahim said in a post on his official Facebook page today.

His Majesty said decisions made from the review must then be announced to restore public confidence as well as among tourists.

The Sultan's 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 in Mersing.

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.

-- BERNAMA