A Chinese diver drowned while three others were rescued by the Department of Public Safetys Boating Safety personnel at the Grotto in Marpi on Saturday afternoon.
DPS Commissioner James C. Deleon Guerrero told Saipan Tribune yesterday that Yong Jin Ding, 33, male, of Beijing, China, was pronounced dead at 9:07pm by Dr. Florence Schender at the Commonwealth Health Center.
Dings companions were two tourists and one dive guide. All are Chinese nationals.
This case is still under investigation and DPS will be releasing more information tomorrow, Deleon Guerrero said.
He said DPS received a report of overdue divers at the Grotto shortly after 5pm. DPS Boating Safety personnel were dispatched to the scene and two beacon lights were seen in the waters east of the Grotto cliff line.
A Boating Safety boat was launched out of the Smiling Cove Marina to perform a rescue operation, while the U.S. Coast Guard out of Guam readied a helicopter for response.
However, Deleon Guerrero said, before the helicopter arrived, DPS Boating Safety personnel were able to rescue three of the four divers, while the fourth one, later identified as Ding, was found unresponsive.
Deleon Guerrero said all victims were assessed and aided by an emergency medical technician aboard the DPS Boating Safety rescue vessel, with special attention to Ding.
The commissioner said Dings body was already stiff so emergency medical technicians from the Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services did not attempt to resuscitate him.
Last June 16, a 60-year-old female Korean tourist drowned while snorkeling with some family members on Managaha Island.
