KOROR, Palau — The search for two experienced divers who disappeared during a dive at Peleliu Wall in Palau has been called off after five days, with neither diver recovered, according to local authorities and reports cited by The Straits Times.
The missing divers were identified in local reporting as 62-year-old Singaporean Tan Soon Liang and 43-year-old Chinese national Xiaoxi Wu. They disappeared on September 7 while diving with a larger group from the M/Y Black Pearl, a liveaboard vessel operated by Pearl Fleet.
The search operation ended on September 11 without locating the pair.
Five-Day Search Involved Palau and U.S. Rescue Teams
The search brought together Palau national marine search-and-rescue personnel, Peleliu state rangers, private boat operators and the U.S. Coast Guard Joint Rescue Sub-Center in Guam.
Public Radio Guam reported that both boats and aircraft were used during the operation. Despite the extensive effort, authorities were unable to locate either diver.
Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had earlier confirmed that it was providing consular assistance to Tan’s family and was in contact with Palauan authorities regarding the search.
What Happened During the Dive?
According to information reported by Palau’s Ministry of Justice and local media, Tan and Wu were among a larger group diving at Peleliu Wall.
The group reportedly began the dive at around 7:45 a.m. local time on September 7. Authorities received a report that the two had failed to return to the surface at about 8:45 a.m.
A particularly important part of the account concerns the divers’ final movements.
The dive director reportedly signaled for the group to begin ascending after roughly 40 minutes underwater. Tan and Wu were reportedly still deeper on the reef, with Tan’s marker buoy having become entangled.
The dive director went down to assist, and the two divers reportedly indicated that they were okay before beginning to ascend.
However, according to the account given to Public Radio Guam by a Palau Ministry of Justice spokesman, the pair subsequently appeared to stop their ascent and descend again.
The dive director attempted to follow them but eventually had to return toward the surface after reaching a depth that caused him to become dizzy.
Why the two divers apparently descended again has not been established publicly.
Both Divers Were Highly Experienced
The disappearance has drawn particular attention because neither diver was reportedly a novice.
Island Times, as cited by The Straits Times, reported that Tan held an SSI Instructor Certifier qualification and had logged more than 5,100 dives.
Wu was reportedly an Advanced Open Water diver with about 243 logged dives.
Their experience does not by itself explain what happened, and authorities have not publicly attributed the disappearance to a particular cause.
Peleliu Wall Is a Challenging Dive Site
Peleliu Wall is regarded as one of Palau’s notable diving locations, but reports describe it as an advanced site with strong and unpredictable currents.
Public Radio Guam reported that the area has fast currents and very deep water, making it suitable for experienced divers.
The Scuba News, citing information about the site, described Peleliu Wall as a vertical wall dive where currents can range from moderate to strong.
These environmental conditions are relevant to the investigation, but they do not establish that currents caused the disappearance.
Search Ends Without Recovery
The official search lasted five days and ended September 11.
The operation included government search-and-rescue teams, state rangers, private vessels and U.S. Coast Guard resources from Guam. No recovery was reported.
The conclusion of the active search leaves significant questions unanswered, including what happened during the divers’ final descent and whether equipment, underwater conditions or other circumstances played a role.
Authorities have not publicly announced a definitive explanation.
Singapore Provides Assistance to Family
Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it was assisting Tan’s family following his disappearance and remained in contact with Palauan authorities.
Pearl Fleet, which organized the diving expedition, previously told The Straits Times that it was cooperating with official operations and that the incident had been reported to authorities.
With the active search now concluded, attention is expected to turn toward information that could help establish what happened during the dive.
For now, Tan Soon Liang and Xiaoxi Wu remain missing, and the circumstances surrounding their disappearance remain unresolved.
