MANILA, Philippines — Olivia Ku, a popular Taiwanese model drowned during an underwater photo shoot near Hengchun Township in Taiwan’s Pingtung County.
According to reports, Ku died of an asthma attack after photographer asked her to remove her breathing apparatus for a certain shot. Local coast guard did not deny nor confirm the allegations.
Local authorities said she was already unconscious when she was pulled out of the water. Doctors were unable to revive her when she was brought to the hospital.
Some locals dub her death as mysterious since she was known to be an amateur diver with at least three years of experience..
Daily Mail notes that she had signed up as a volunteer a couple of times to clean seabed.
An experienced diver, who refused to be named talked to Taipei Times and told that the community was shocked by the death, mostly because her death could have been avoided if not for lack of commercial divers who could have saved her.
He also added that underwater photography should always be conducted in shallow waters for the increased light levels and for the safety of the model.
Ku’s death is mourned by fans and underwater photography community, being the first model to have died in an underwater photoshoot, long believed to be safe.
Really sad to hear about model Olivia Ku - drowned after suffering an asthma attack during an underwater photo shoot pic.twitter.com/eEuhMbBmFR
— Peter Drury (@PRDartwork) May 18, 2016
Model Olivia Ku (???) has drowned while taking part in an underwater photoshoot.#RIP pic.twitter.com/UIZSUOR0gh
— Pixel Pluck (@pixelpluck) May 18, 2016
Further investigation was necessary to determine the exact cause of the accident. Representatives of Eelin Entertainment, Ku’s modeling agency, were with her during the photoshoot. — Alixandra Caole Vila