Pictured: Aussie tourist Kay Phillips who died during Nusa Penida diving expedition in Bali

EXCLUSIVE

Last Thursday, Kay Phillips and her husband Linden were beaming as they boarded the plane from Melbourne to Bali with members of their local dive club.

The trip to Indonesia was the most recent diving expedition that the Mildura Deserts Divers Club from north-west Victoria has undertaken together in the past seven years.

But disaster struck when the group of about 12 people went diving for the first time on Saturday at Manta Point, a popular dive site near the island of Nusa Penida.

During the dive, Ms Phillips, 67, became short of breath and fainted as she tried to get back into the boat. She never regained consciousness.

Now her heartbroken husband faces the daunting task of bringing his wife’s body home.

Photos posted online show a pale-faced Mr Phillips dining out with other divers in Nusa Penida on Sunday evening, just hours after losing his wife.

Daily Mail Australia understands that arrangements are still being made to transport Ms Phillips back to Australia where she will undergo a post-mortem examination.

Mr and Mrs Phillips were experienced divers who had been members of their local diving club for over ten years.

During that time the group has travelled extensively, exploring various waters from Queensland and South Australia to the Philippines and Papua New Guinea.

In a Facebook post last year, members of the group affectionately joked that the Phillips were always behind schedule. Some divers even posted a photo with the caption: “Waiting for Kay and Linden.”

Mrs. Phillips replied, “We’re always the last ones in and the last ones out.”

On Saturday, Mrs Phillips and her husband reportedly reported to Two Fish Divers 90 minutes before the tragedy occurred, police told local media.

The couple had already registered for the trip before boarding a boat with the eleven other tourists to travel to the beautiful location.

Mrs Phillips and others were briefed on the dive and had their equipment checked by guides en route to the dive site.

Upon arrival, their equipment was checked again and the divers were given permission to enter the water.

But just eight minutes later, Ms Phillips surfaced after experiencing shortness of breath, telling a dive guide she was having “difficulty breathing”.

Mrs Phillips lost consciousness while being helped back on board.

The crew performed CPR before transporting her to the nearby Nusa Medica clinic, but resuscitation was no longer possible.

Klungkung police spokesman Agus Widiono said her body was taken to Sanglah Hospital in Denpasar for further examination.

The victim’s body was immediately taken to Sanglah. [The] information is that the family will perform an autopsy on the victim in [their] “It’s my homeland,” Mr. Widiono said.

It seems that the couple stayed at the Pandawa Hotel in Nusa Penida.

Mrs. Phillips would have celebrated her 68th birthday in November.

A spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed that the department was “providing consular assistance to the family of an Australian who died in Bali”.

“We extend our deepest condolences to their families and friends at this difficult time,” she said.

‘Due to our privacy obligations, we are unable to comment further.’

Manta Point is one of Bali’s southernmost dive sites and is surrounded by high cliffs.

This popular tourist destination, where you can spot manta rays, is only suitable for experienced divers.

The water is about 15 metres deep and the currents and sea conditions can be very rough.

Visibility is also limited underwater and the water temperature is colder than in other locations.

Ms Phillip died just a day after another Australian was killed in a horrific motorbike accident in Bali.

Australian couple Thomas Cossins, 30, and Jasmine Sparreboom were on the holiday island to attend a friend’s wedding and went for a drive on Friday morning.

The couple left Seminyak at around 6:30am to travel to Canggu, where they met up with another rider before riding into the mountains near Gitgit.

According to a friend, Mr. Cossins, an experienced motorcyclist, he was in full motorcycle gear and was riding around a corner on a Kawasaki Ninja when he lost control and crashed into a concrete pillar. He could not be revived and died at the scene.

Indonesia is the most popular holiday destination for Australians, after overtaking New Zealand as the favourite short break destination.

According to ABS figures, about 1.37 million Australians visited Indonesia in 2023, compared to 1.26 million people who visited New Zealand.