MANILA – Three South Korean divers were safely rescued after drifting several nautical miles from their planned diving area off Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said.

The incident occurred on the afternoon of Aug. 11, 2026, after the three divers went underwater at Canyon Reef in Barangay Sinandigan, Puerto Galera.

The divers were expected to resurface after about an hour. However, they failed to return within the expected period, prompting the operator of their speedboat to search for them.

The search was hampered by worsening sea conditions, prompting the operator to alert the Municipal Administrator of Puerto Galera, who reported the incident to the Coast Guard Sub-Station (CGSS) Puerto Galera.

The CGSS then coordinated with the Philippine National Police Maritime Group, Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office of Puerto Galera, local dive operators and other maritime stakeholders to conduct search and rescue operations.

The divers were eventually spotted about 3.12 nautical miles northwest of Barangay San Agustin, Isla Verde, Batangas.

The crew of M/V FastCat M19 spotted a rapidly flashing light on the water while sailing from Batangas to Calapan, leading rescuers to the divers’ location.

One female diver was rescued by the M/V FastCat M19, while two male divers were recovered by Paradise Diving Boat 4.

The three divers were subsequently brought together and transported safely to Barangay Sabang in Puerto Galera.

Personnel from the Puerto Galera MDRRMO assessed the divers upon arrival and confirmed that they were in safe condition.

The Coast Guard Station Oriental Mindoro, in coordination with CGSS Puerto Galera, is conducting an investigation into the incident, including the divers’ compliance with applicable maritime safety requirements.