“Dive boat sinks at Tubbataha Reef, 4 missing including Chinese nationals”

Rescue teams are on the lookout for four individuals following the sinking of a boat carrying over a dozen scuba divers at Tubbataha Reef, a World Heritage-listed marine sanctuary in the Philippines. The Philippine Coast Guard reported that 28 people had already been rescued after the “Dream Keeper” sank on Sunday morning in the unspoiled waters off Palawan. The vessel’s owner, a dive master, and two tourists are among those missing. Coast guard personnel and around ten dive boats are scouring the nearby seas for any sign of them. Tubbataha Reef, a 97,000-hectare marine protected area and a UN World Heritage Site since 1993, is a preferred destination amongst diving enthusiasts. Despite its safeguarded status, the location is under constant threat from illegal fishing and poaching, authorities warn.