American diver feared dead after body parts found inside shark off Indonesia

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Louise Thomas

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A US tourist on a dream diving holiday is believed dead after parts of a woman’s body were found inside the stomach of a shark in Indonesia.

Colleen Monfore, 68, was with six friends exploring the ocean around Pulau Reong island on September 26 when she was dragged away by strong currents.

The diving group’s guide was unable to pull her back on the boat, prompting a search for the tourist, which lasted for eight days before being called off.

Last week a fisherman in Timor-Leste, some 75 miles away from where Monfore went missing, captured and killed a shark after seeing it “in obvious distress.”

Inside its stomach were body parts of a woman’s body, as well as parts of her wetsuit and bathing suit.

While there were reports that the body parts had been identified as Monfore’s, authorities said they were still trying to determine whether they may have belonged to another missing person.

Officials in East Timor are contacting the coast guard in Indonesia. They also appealed for details of anyone with missing friends or relatives due to the popularity of diving in the nearby islands, that are Indonesian territory.

Muhammad Saleh Goro, Head of the Regional Technical Implementation Unit (UPTD) for the Management of the Alor Islands Marine Park and surrounding ocean, said: “We have coordinated with the Indonesian Embassy (KBRI) in Dili, and the KBRI has confirmed the truth of this information.

“The body of the woman was found in a shark in Timor Leste. It was not in Indonesian territory. We are now investigating the case further to confirm if they are the remains of anyone reported missing in Indonesia.

“From the diving suit worn by the victim, it is suspected that they were a diver. The results of the investigation will be published soon after more complete information is available.”

However, people identifying as friends of Monfore have warned against misinformation that she was killed and eaten by the shark.

On Facebook, Kim Sass, a diver who claims to have been friends with Monfore, said that evidence accrued by investigators showed that the claims of a shark attack were “false.”

Sass pointed out that sharks’ stomachs are adapted for rapid digestion, with strong acids that help to break down food into smaller particles.

Despite this, Monfore’s body, and fingerprints were apparently still identifiable. “This would not be possible if the shark had attacked her weeks ago,” Sass wrote.

Sass said she and others believed that Monfore had died of a “medical issue,” and that the strong currents that were being reported were “manageable”

“I’ve easily done 1000+ dives with this gracious woman; she was an excellent diver,” Sass wrote on Facebook. “I don’t believe it was the environment and certainly not a shark that ended her life.”

Shark attacks in the area are generally a rare occurrence, with only 11 unprovoked incidents recorded over the past 275 years.

Sass added: “Colleen’s husband said she would have been heartsick to know a shark died because of her and that her death is giving sharks, once again, a bad name.”

The Independent has reached out to Sass for additional comment.