An American woman, presumed to have been killed by a shark while diving in Indonesia, possibly died from a medical condition before any encounter with the predator, according to her friend.
Colleen Monfore, 68, a mother of two and a Michigan resident, was on what was meant to be a dream diving holiday - a seven-week excursion with her husband Mike - when tragedy struck on September 26, said family friend Rick Sass.
Just days into their adventure, Monfore went missing during a group dive near Pulau Redang island, reported The New York Post. Two weeks later, fishermen discovered a shark and retrieved human remains from its stomach, around 113 km away from the location of her disappearance. Authorities later identified Monfore through fingerprints, according to Sass, who has been in regular contact with the family.
“We do not believe this was a shark attack. Mike thinks she suffered some kind of medical issue in the water,” Sass told the New York Post.
Sass and his wife, Kim, who co-owned a dive shop for more than four decades, reviewed photos from the dive, engaged in conversations with Mike and analysed data from his diving computer.
Sass said that Monfore may have become separated from her group due to rough waters and was not killed by a shark. At the time of her disappearance, she was around 24 feet underwater and likely had half a tank of air remaining, according to the New York Post report.
"There was a down current at the turnaround site, but it was manageable. I've easily done 1000+ dives with this gracious woman. I don't believe it was the environment and certainly not a shark that ended her life,” Kim Sass mentioned in a Facebook post.
Rick Sass said, “They dove massive numbers of trips with us over 30 years. Bali, Philippines, Bikini Atoll, you name it. She knew what she was doing,” adding, “We used to call her ‘Saint Colleen.' She was an amazing woman. She loved nature and animals. I know she would have never wanted a shark to be blamed for this tragedy."
Sass also noted that shark attacks on divers were extremely uncommon. "And sharks are not that way. We've dived with hammerheads, tiger sharks, and bull sharks. You have to give them respect and be cautious, but they won't just attack you," he said.
The circumstances surrounding Colleen Monfore's death remain unclear. Images from the scene show the shark cut open, with human remains in a black wetsuit nearby.
"The shark was caught, but it was not in normal health. I thought it had swallowed plastic or a fishing net. It was cut open to find the problem, and inside there were the remains of a woman,” told a fisherman, as reported by Asia Pacific Press.
Indonesian authorities have announced that an investigation is underway.
