American tourist, 68, is feared to have been eaten by a shark after disappearing during a dive off Indonesia’s coast as fisherman finds woman’s remains inside killer beast’s belly
An American tourist is feared to have been eaten by a shark after she disappeared while diving during her dream holiday in Indonesia.
Colleen Monfore, 68, of South Dakota, was exploring the ocean around Pulau Reong Island off the coast of Southwest Maluku Regency with six friends on September 26.
But she and her desperate group were swept away by the strong current and the guide was unable to pull her back to the boat.
Rescue teams searched for eight days before finally giving up on October 3 due to dangerous sea conditions and the low chance of finding Monfore.
A fisherman found human remains in the belly of a shark in neighboring East Timor on Sunday.
Officials in the Liquisa district said the female corpse was still wearing a black wetsuit and appeared to be a Western woman matching Monfore’s profile.
Colleen Monfore, 68, (pictured) from South Dakota, was exploring the breathtaking tropical ocean around Pulau Reong Island off the coast of Southwest Maluku Regency with six friends on September 26. But she was carried away by the strong current. desperate group, and the guide was unable to pull her back to the boat
A fisherman found human remains in the belly of a shark in neighboring East Timor on Sunday
The fisherman said: ‘The shark was caught, but its health was not normal. I thought he had swallowed plastic or a fishing net. To find the problem, it was cut open and inside were the remains of a woman.”
Officials in East Timor have contacted the coast guard in Indonesia. They have also asked for details of anyone with missing friends or relatives due to the popularity of diving on the nearby islands, which form Indonesian territory.
Muhammad Saleh Goro, head of the Regional Technical Implementation Unit (UPTD) for the Management of the Alor Islands Marine Park and the surrounding ocean, said: “We have been working with the Indonesian Embassy (KBRI) in Dili and the KBRI has got the truth confirmed this information.
‘The woman’s body was found inside a shark in East Timor. It was not on Indonesian territory. We are now investigating the case further to confirm whether the remains are of someone reported missing in Indonesia.
‘From the diving suit the victim was wearing, it is suspected that he was a diver. The results of the study will be published soon after more complete information becomes available. According to anecdotal reports from East Timor, the victim in the shark was a foreign woman.”
Rescue teams searched for Monfore for eight days before finally giving up on October 3 due to dangerous sea conditions and low chances of finding her
Rescuers are photographed during the multi-day search for Monfore
This is the inside of the shark’s belly where remains believed to be Monfore’s were found
Ipda Giovani BM Toffy, the head of police in the southwest Maluku Islands, where Monfore first went missing, said the diving group guide initially reported her missing.
He said: “The initial search was conducted by the victim’s friends as they were on the same trip to Banda Islands.
“We have been working with the Nabar village government to mobilize residents to help search the coast opposite Reong Island and search around the waters of Reong Island using long boats or speedboats, but the victim has not been found. ‘
Pulau Reong is a small island in Indonesia’s Alor Archipelago, a region known for its exceptional diving.
Diving around Pulau Reong itself is becoming increasingly popular due to its biodiversity, unique dive sites, pristine corals and a quieter environment compared to neighboring Thailand and the Philippines.