LIANG ZHENTAO, a 46-year-old doctor from Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, died while swimming at Dameisha Beach on Jan. 1, but wounds on his back and legs led to speculation about the cause of his death, the Daily Sunshine reported yesterday.

    On Jan. 1, Liang participated in a winter swimming activity. At around 10 a.m., all participants arrived at the beach. Before they swam, organizers reminded them to take care of their teammates and avoid boats. At noon, swimmers came ashore after swimming for about 1.2 kilometers along the coastline.

    Participants left after being given honorary certificates, while Liang returned to the beach at around 4 p.m. with another companion after having eaten lunch with several friends. The lowest temperature on that day was 17 degrees Celsius and tide was lower than 2 meters.

    According to the companion, Liang swam much further than him, about 1.5 km off the shore. Liang’s body was discovered in the evening of Jan. 1.

    A preliminary study showed that Liang had died of drowning, police said. However, Liang’s relatives and friends found several wounds on his back and legs which could have been caused by sharp tools. They speculated that the propeller of a boat is to blame.

    There are several water sports providers on Dameisha beach that sell and rent yachts, motorboats, sail boats and canoes, in addition to providing a series of water sport entertainment services. Shenzhen Maritime Safety Administration has launched an investigation into the case and will publicize their findings soon.(Luo Songsong)