A retired couple from Derbyshire have died in a scuba diving accident while holidaying in the Maldives over the Christmas period.
Elaine Richmond, aged 70, and her 71-year-old husband Malcolm were staying at a resort on Ellaidhoo, a secluded island in the Indian Ocean, when the fatal incident occurred.
The pair, who lived in the village of Inkersall in Derbyshire, had made the tropical destination their regular festive retreat for nearly two decades.
Stubbins and Hope funeral directors are handling arrangements for the couple following the tragedy.
The Richmonds' attachment to Ellaidhoo ran deep, with the couple having travelled to the resort more than 60 times over the years.
Their devotion to the island was such that they had spent every Christmas there for 17 years in a row, making it their cherished annual tradition.
In 2025 alone, the pair visited the remote destination on three separate occasions.
Ellaidhoo sits approximately 26 miles west of Maldivian capital Male and can only be reached by seaplane or boat.
In 2025 alone, the couple visited the remote destination on three separate occasions
|The couple were active members of the Maldives Holidaymakers group and well known within the Ellaidhoo community.
Simon Hope, of Stubbins and Hope funeral directors, confirmed to the Daily Mail there was nothing suspicious about the couple's deaths.
The Richmonds did not have any children, Mr Hope explained, adding that their next of kin, a niece who lives near Manchester, had been notified of the tragedy.
A notice on the funeral directors' website read: "Elaine and Malcolm Richmond of Inkersall have tragically passed away just days apart at Christmas.
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Ellaidhoo lies 26 miles west of the Maldivian capital and can only be reached by seaplane or boat
|GETTY
"All who knew them are welcome to attend [the funeral] and celebrate their lives. Any donations received will be given to Ashgate Hospice."
An inquest into the circumstances of the Richmonds' deaths is scheduled to open at Chesterfield Coroner's Court on January 30.
Their funeral service will take place the day before, on January 29 at Brimington crematorium in Chesterfield.
A tribute posted on a Facebook group for Ellaidhoo visitors read: "With deepest regret and sadness, we would like to inform you that two of our dearest members of the Ellaidhoo group Elaine and Malcom Richmond sadly passed away whilst on the Maldives over the Christmas holiday period."
The message noted the couple had forged friendships with numerous staff members and fellow holidaymakers during their many visits, adding they would be "sorely missed".
According to figures published by Maldivian authorities, 112 tourists have died in marine accidents in the archipelagic country since 2020.
The tiny South Asian nation has seen an influx of tourists in recent years, seeing more than 2 million flood its shores in 2024 alone.
It is also popular holiday destination among Britons, with an estimated 180,000 travelling there every year.
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