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09th Apr 2022

British diver lost at sea found adrift as son, 14, believed dead

Kieran Galpin

The boat driver has been arrested after testing positive for drugs

A British diver has been found adrift in Malaysia after going missing two days ago, but sadly, his son is believed dead.

Adrian Chesters, 46, was rescued today (April) alongside 18-year-old Alexia Molina after they went missing two days prior. According to the BBC, Chesters’ son, 14-year-old dutch-national Nathen Renze Chesters, had allegedly become too weak and died while they were at sea.

On Wednesday, the group had been taking a group dive off the coast of Mersing, Johor, where they were training in 49ft dives near the island of Pulau Tokong Sanggol, roughly 10 miles from the coast.

Diving instructor Kristine Grodem, 35, had been rescued on Thursday when she told officials they had lost track of their boat when they returned to the surface. The ocean currents then separated them.

According to the Mail Online, district police chief Cyril Edward Nuing said: “Based on her [Grodem’s] account, the three others managed to surface.

“With their equipment, their full gear and their experience, we believe there is a strong chance of finding them alive.”

The boat driver has been detained after testing positive for methamphetamine and is believed to have left the party adrift.

“He tested positive for methamphetamine use when we conducted a urine test,” Johor police chief Datuk Kamarul Zaman Mamat said. “The forensics team will arrive to conduct the investigation. We will also investigate if there is any issue of negligence.”

Chesters and Molina were found almost 130 kilometres from their last reported location.

It’s understood that Indonesian authorities will now continue to search for Nathen’s body.

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