S'porean doctor dies after diving in Bali: Victim gestured for help but was unconscious when led to water surface

A Singaporean female doctor died after diving at the island of Bali, Indonesia, on Wednesday morning (Sept 6).

Dr Wong Yu Yi, 48, was reportedly diving with a group of divers at the Blue Lagoon, located in Bali’s eastern port town of Padangbai during the time of the incident, reports Indonesian local media. 

The group was diving at a depth of about 20m at 9.12am when she suddenly gestured for help.

The dive leader quickly led her to the surface, but she had already lost conscious by then.

She was rushed to a hospital where she was declared dead on arrival. 

The local police have declined to comment on the cause of death when inquired.

The dive leader told Lianhe Wanbao that he noticed Dr Wong had been constantly looking at her dive computer, which records the depth of the water, during the incident. 

He said:

“I don’t know if her dive computer had malfunctioned, but there was definitely insufficient oxygen in her oxygen tank.”

According to her colleague Alicia Lau, Dr Wong worked as an aesthetic doctor in a clinic at Novena Medical Centre. 

Ms Lau said that Dr Wong had been working there for about five years, and came to know about her death only after being informed by her boss. 

A spokesman for ClearSK Healthcare Group, which runs the clinic, told The Straits Times that Dr Wong was one of its senior doctors, and was highly qualified with a Master in Medicine, but had chosen to focus on aesthetic medicine five years ago. 

According to the spokesman, Dr Wong is survived by three children and a husband who works as a surgeon. 

A spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said that MFA and the Singapore Embassy in Jakarta rendered consular assistance to the deceased’s next-of-kin. 

The spokesman added:

“We extend our condolences to the bereaved family.”