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Story summary
- Dr Bing Lin (University of Sydney) recorded that divers in Indonesia and the Philippines touched reefs about every four minutes.
- Between December 2022 and January 2024 the study logged 4,981 contacts by 411 divers, with 60 % unintentional.
- Forty-one percent of contacts caused visible damage such as broken coral or sediment smothering.
- The researchers recommend buoyancy training, equipment limits, and stricter certification because a few divers cause most damage.
