On Wednesday, aquarium owners said a Singaporean diver died after being struck within the chest by a stingray during a closed underwater attraction within the city-state.
Veteran diver Philip Chan, 62, was bitten at Underwater World Singapore on Tuesday in a “tragic accident” while preparing stingrays for transfer to a different aquarium, the attraction’s owners, Haw Par Corporation, said in a press release. He later died of his injuries in hospital.
Haw Par said it had suspended its animal transfer program until the police investigation was accomplished.
The 25-year-old facility on the resort island of Sentosa closed in June when it was unable to maintain up with newer attractions on the identical island, including a bigger aquarium and a water adventure park.
Local media reported that pink dolphins, seals and otters were relocated to the Chimelong Ocean Kingdom in Zhuhai, China, considered one of the most important marine parks on the planet, while other sea creatures were still in search of recent homes. It is unclear which species of stingray struck Chan within the chest.
Stingrays are common in tropical waters, and their spines on the ends of their tails are covered with toxic venom, which they use to defend themselves when threatened.
Although animal stings are painful, they rarely attack humans.
