Two people have died and one has been badly injured so far this summer after diving at beaches and ports in the southern resort island of Jeju, a popular spot to take diving photos, local authorities said Tuesday.

On Saturday, a man in his 30s was taken to a hospital after diving at a beach in Jeju’s northeastern town of Gujwa, but he was later pronounced dead, while another man in his 50s was injured seriously after hitting his head on the bottom of 1.5-meter-deep waters in Hallim, a town in western Jeju Island, on July 31.

Earlier last month, a man in his 20s, who was identified as a beach lifeguard, was rescued in a state of cardiac arrest after diving at Hamdeok Beach but died at a hospital later.

The series of accidents occurred amid the backdrop of a rising trend where visitors take photos of themselves diving and upload them on social media.

A municipal official cautioned against diving headfirst at ports and other areas, where the depth of the water can vary greatly during rising tides and ebb ti
des and divers can hit their heads on the bottom of the sea.

The Jeju provincial government has placed lifeguards in 19 coastal areas and strengthened patrolling. It also plans to continue to deploy lifeguards for the 15 days next month before beaches close.

Source: Yonhap News Agency