Five of seven Japanese scuba divers who disappeared Friday off the Indonesian island of Bali have been found alive.
The women were found hanging onto a coral reef and were suffering from hypothermia and dehydration. BBC reports they had drifted more than 12 miles from where they disappeared in heavy winds and rain.
The Telegraph reports the dive boat's skipper was following the divers for about 20 minutes when it started raining, making the water very cloudy and causing him to lose track of them.
He then moved the boat to a location where the divers were supposed to resurface at a certain time, but they never did. (Via WSWP)
A Bali police spokesman initially said one of the bodies of the missing divers had been found, but he later retracted his statement.
According to BBC, two of the divers in the group are instructors who accompanied five tourists on a scuba diving excursion. One of the instructors and another tourist are still missing.
Divers in Bali have gotten lost in treacherous waters before. Some have even died.
According to The Wall Street Journal, the island is a popular scuba diving destination among foreigners because of its coral reefs and clear visibility. But strong currents can make for dangerous conditions, even for experienced divers. (Via YouTube / Russell Taylor)
According to NBC, eight European divers went missing in 2012 for six hours when they ran into high waves after their skipper took an unfamiliar route.
Also in 2012, police cautioned diving operators about taking divers to the site after two other divers were killed there, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The rescued Japanese divers were transported to a hospital, and officials say they're in stable condition. Rescue crews will continue the search for the other two missing divers Tuesday.
