Tourist from Arizona found dead after vanishing underwater on scuba dive near Bali

A 49-year-old tourist from Arizona died while scuba diving near the coast of Bali, a popular island getaway in Indonesia, according to local media reports.

Tyeson Cluff took a guided scuba diving expedition near Shark Point, located off the coast of Gili Trawangan, on Feb. 19, according to Kompas, an Indonesian newspaper.

While underwater near a coral reef, Cluff separated from the group, appearing to swim toward the surface before vanishing from sight, the paper reported.

He was about 50 feet underwater at the time and visibility was poor, according to Detik News.

After he disappeared, guides swept the area but saw no signs of him. They canceled the dive and continued searching from above water, according to the outlet.

The incident was reported to the authorities and a broader search effort was initiated, which involved local police and the Indonesian Navy, according to Tempo, an Indonesian magazine.

The next day, Cluff’s body was discovered by a team of divers and taken to a nearby hospital, according to VnExpress International, a Vietnamese newspaper.

His body was found about 70 feet underwater, according to Kompas.

“We lost a sweet and amazing person this week to a diving incident, Tyeson Cluff from Phoenix Arizona.” a friend wrote on Facebook, adding “we will all miss you mate.”

A 33-year-old Korean man died while scuba diving near Bali in 2022, according to The Bali Sun.

There are more than 100 diving-related fatalities every year worldwide, according to a 2018 report.

This story was originally published February 23, 2023 at 4:54 PM with the headline "Tourist from Arizona found dead after vanishing underwater on scuba dive near Bali."