{
  "id": 8890057,
  "title": "'He rests in the place he loved so dearly': Family of S'porean diver, 62, who went missing at Palau have accepted his death",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/20/he-rests-in-the-place-he-loved-so-dearly-family-of-sporean-diver-62",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-20T19:06:23.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Mothership",
    "slug": "mothership",
    "url": "https://mothership.sg/2026/09/sporean-diver-missing-respected-figure/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Robert Tan, a Singaporean diver and prominent figure in the local diving community, tragically went missing during a diving expedition in Palau on September 7, 2026. Tan, an experienced diver with over 5,100 logged dives and an SSI Instructor Certifier qualification, was part of a five-day search involving local marine authorities and the U.S. Coast Guard Joint Rescue Sub-Center in Guam. Despite the extensive search effort, Tan's body was not recovered, and his family has accepted his death. According to his daughter Melissa, Tan and his diving partner Wu were descending rapidly during a safety stop when the dive guide could no longer attempt to reach them. The family chose not to conduct a deep-water recovery expedition due to the hazards and low chance of success. Tan, who began diving in 1994 and dedicated his life to the sea, had expressed a desire to return to the ocean upon his passing. His memorial service will be held from September 25 to 27 at Youngberg Terrace. The local dive community has expressed their condolences and fond memories of Tan, praising his passion for the ocean and the positive impact he had on countless divers.",
  "summary": "A 5-day search for him was called off inconclusively.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}