Tourist, 68, dragged out to sea and feared eaten by sharks on dream holiday

In a chilling incident in Indonesia, a tourist is feared to have been Colleen Monfore, 68, was enjoying a dream holiday, diving in the crystal clear waters off an Indonesian archipelago, when she was dragged out to sea.

The 68-year-old diver from South Dakota, USA, was swept away by strong currents while on a diving excursion with six companions near Pulau Reong island, situated off the southwest coastline of Despite the guide's efforts, Colleen was unable to make it back to the boat.

Following her disappearance, an extensive eight-day search operation ensued, but to no avail; Ms Monfore remained missing. In a grim twist, a fisherman from East Timor, which borders Indonesia, found human remains on Sunday, October 6, raising fears that the missing woman might have been eaten.

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In another brutal incident, a surfer's leg was discovered on a beach after a great white shark tore through the victim's limbs. The fisherman recounted the gruesome discovery: "The shark was caught but it was not in normal health. I thought it had swallowed plastic or a fishing net. It was cut open to find the problem and inside there were the remains of a woman."

Authorities in East Timor are now coordinating with the Indonesian coast guard. They're also reaching out for information about any missing individuals, given the popularity of diving in the region's islands, which are part of Indonesian territory, reports .

Muhammad Saleh Goro, who heads up the UPTD for the Management of Alor Islands Marine Park, has made a statement confirming international cooperation in a grim discovery: "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."

He added that details from the diving suit led them to believe the victim may have been an adventure-seeker: "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. The anecdotal reports from Timor Leste are that the victim in the shark was foreign female."

Meanwhile, local law enforcement has shed light on the initial response when Colleen went missing, with Ipda Giovani BM Toffy, chief of police in Southwest Maluku, undertaking search and rescue attempts, stating: "The initial search effort was carried out by the victim's friends because they were on the same trip to the Banda Islands.

"We coordinated with the Nabar Village Government to mobilise residents to help search the coast facing Reong Island and conduct searches around the waters of Reong Island using long boats or speed boats, but the victim has not been found."

Pulau Reong, a small island nestled in Indonesia's Alor Archipelago, is gaining popularity among scuba diving enthusiasts.

The region, famed for its extraordinary underwater experiences, offers divers an array of unique dive sites, untouched corals, and a diverse marine life.