(Seychelles News Agency) - Seychelles police has reported that a Chinese woman has drowned today near ‘Grande Soeur’ island which is located some 6km northeast of neighbouring La Digue, the third most populated island of the archipelago.

36 year old Qingyun Xue was on holiday in the Indian Ocean archipelago.

According to the police statement she had left Pataran Hotel on La Digue where she was staying at 9.30am local time together with a friend and a group of 12 Chinese nationals, to go snorkelling at ‘Grande Soeur’ island.

“They got to the island at around 9.40am and started swimming…..about 5 minutes later her friend could not see her. The group started to search for her on the beach but in vain,” adds the statement.

“It was around 11.50am when they were called by the Skipper to have lunch that they informed him that Xue was missing and it was at that time that the Skipper looked towards the sea and saw a person floating some 20 metres from the beach.”

According to the police statement CPR was performed but as she did not respond Xue was taken to the Logan Hospital on La Digue where she was certified dead at 12.30pm.

An autopsy will be conducted.

Xue arrived in Seychelles yesterday, Thursday September 25 and was due to leave on October 2.