SEMPORNA: A Chinese tourist in his 30s drowned while snorkeling near the Reef Dive Resort, Mataking Island on Sunday afternoon.
The victim was identified as Xiong Qin Yu who died at the Semporna Hospital.
District police chief Superintendent Peter Umbuas yesterday said a security personnel, Rozaini Bin Mohd Sumoh who was monitoring tourists snorkeling at the resort, saw Xiong waving his hands for help.
Rozaini immediately contacted the dive centre and asked for assistance from another security personnel, Nordinshah Bin Sandong who swam towards the victim and pulled him to the beach and gave him cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
Peter said several staff members from the dive centre arrived at the scene and tried to give the victim CPR but he remained unconscious with blood coming from his nose.
The staff then carried the victim into their resort boat and brought him to the hospital.
According to Nordinshah, the victim was not wearing a life jacket when snorkelling.