A Danish tourist who went snorkeling off the coast of Siquijor Island was found dead Monday.

The body identified as that of Soren Mikkelsen, 57, was found by villagers about 8 a.m. in shallow water off the shore of San Juan town in Siquijor, face down and still wearing his mask and snorkel.

Dr. Ruel Quisel, municipal health officer of San Juan, said Mikkelsen was already dead when the villagers got to him. Some people who saw Mikkelsen must have thought that he was still snorkeling so they left him alone until they realized that he was no longer moving, he said.

Some staff members of the Coco Grove Resort Hotel tried to revive him but they were unsuccessful because the body was already stiff, Quisel said.

The doctor ruled out foul play, as the body had no wounds nor scratches. "He must have suffered a heart attack or he could have succumbed to a pulmonary problem," Quisel said. Quisel said that Mikkelsen was suffering from some ailment which made him unfit to go scuba diving. "He appeared to have suffered from decompression sickness in Panglao, where he was vacationing a week earlier, and so he was advised by the hotel's dive shop management against his plan to go scuba diving."

Mikkelsen instead went snorkeling using his own gear. "He skipped breakfast and nobody noticed him take a dip." The DAILY STAR learned that while in Tagbilaran, Mikkelsen was admitted at the Ramiro Community Hospital on February 18. He left the next day against the doctor's advice, said Dr. Audrey Ramiro, hospital administrator.

Quisel said they have already informed the Danish Embassy about the incident.*AP

back to top