Skilled diver gets pulled by strong current, drowns while looking for lost GoPro camera

A 30-year-old Chinese diver named Zhang Xiaohan drowned while diving in Indonesia. She was on a tour near Kakaban Island with 12 guests and 3 guides.

The island also has the world’s largest jellyfish lake, attracting many visitors in recent years.

Xiaohan, who drowned while diving in Indonesia, was said to be an experienced diver with a Divemaster certificate, according to the South China Morning Post.

A Divemaster certificate is a professional scuba diving qualification. It lets someone guide certified divers, assist instructors and supervise diving activities.

Divemasters can lead and support divers but cannot teach full diving courses without becoming an instructor.

During the dive, she lost her GoPro camera and tried to go back down to retrieve it. A guide warned her not to do so. But, she went against the suggestion, SCMP added.

The group already reached near the surface after diving 30 metres deep. Zhang didn’t return, and the guides couldn’t find her.

A search team later found her body at a depth of 87 metres. She is believed to have been pulled by a strong current. Her death has caused much sadness and discussion on Chinese social media.

The diver was taken to hospital for a post-mortem. Authorities are now investigating the case. Many are questioning if more safety measures should be taken by dive tour operators.

Even skilled divers can underestimate nature’s dangers, per online users. A relative shared that Zhang’s family in Zhejiang, China, are heartbroken.

Social media reactions

People online have stressed that life is more valuable than any camera and advised never diving deep alone. The dive spot near Kakaban Island is known for its stunning underwater scenery and is very popular with tourists.

One user wrote, “No camera or footage is as important as your life.”

“A tip for all divers, never go deep into the sea without company,” SCMP quoted another as reacting.