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British, French divers rescued in Malaysia, Dutch teen dead after more than two days drifting at sea

The two divers were found in waters off Pengerang, further south of where they disappeared. (Reuters: Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency)

A French woman and a British man, who disappeared while diving off the coast of Malaysia, have been found safe drifting at sea, two and a half days after they went missing.

Four people went missing about noon on Wednesday while on a training dive near Tokong Sanggol, a small island off the south-eastern town of Mersing.

The group's instructor, Kristine Grodem, 35, from Norway, was rescued on Thursday.

Fishermen spotted Alexia Alexandra Molina, 18, from France, and Briton Adrian Peter Chesters, 46, about 1am in waters off Pengerang, a considerable distance to the south of where they disappeared, Mersing district police chief Cyril Edward Nuing told reporters.

"Both individuals … are reported to be in stable condition," he said.

The search continues for the remaining member of the group.  (Reuters: Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency)

Mr Chesters' Dutch son, Nathen Renze Chesters, remained missing, but his father told police he had died "as he was too weak and could not survive," the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency said in a statement.

The agency said it notified Indonesian authorities to continue searching for the body. The search operation in Malaysia has been called off.

He said marine police had taken them to hospital but declined to provide more details of the rescue.

Ms Grodem told officials the group had surfaced about an hour into their dive on Wednesday but could not find their boat.

She was later separated from the others after being caught in a strong current.

The boat operator who took them to the dive site was detained after testing positive for drugs, police said.

Norwegian diver Kristine Grodem was rescued off the Mersing coast on Thursday. (Reuters: Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency)

Reuters

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