Two Chinese women drown in Maldives after being ‘dragged by riptide’

Two Chinese sisters on holiday in the Maldives drowned after one of them was reportedly pulled by a riptide, according to the Chinese embassy.

The women were snorkeling at a beach of the Fihalhohi Island south of the capital Male when the accident happened on Friday afternoon, a spokesman of the Chinese embassy to the Maldives told via phone today.

He said “the sea was rough and the victims were not wearing life vests” despite all snorkellers being strongly advised to do so.

The spokesman said the victims “were born after 1980 and 1990 respectively”, but would not provide other specifics, citing privacy concerns.

He added that victims’ families had arrived in Maldives in the wake of the tragedy and that embassy officials in the island nation have been cooperating with the local police investigation.

Hong Kong-based Phoenix TV cited eyewitnesses reporting that one of the victims was dragged away by a sudden tide, prompting her sister to rush to her rescue. However, both did not make it back to shore.