Tuesday, June 4, 2013

In Memory of Madaline ‘Maddy’ Cole


It is with great sadness that all at MCSS mourn the passing of Madaline ‘Maddy’ Cole, one of our 2012 whale shark interns. Maddy was fatally injured by a speeding boat last week while snorkelling off Perhentian Besar, off the north east coast of Malaysia. 

Maddy was an irrepressible and enthusiastic young woman with an ever optimistic attitude and an unbounded love of nature. She first came to Seychelles with the Global Vision International volunteer programme and decided to redirect her life into marine conservation and professional scuba diving - a past-time she loved. She continued on in Seychelles through the Divemaster Internship programme at Dive Seychelles / Underwater Centre where her bubbly personality was a great hit with visiting and resident divers alike. Having been ‘bitten by the bug’ she came back to Seychelles for the 2012 MCSS whale shark monitoring season and became involved in several MCSS projects as well as helping with education and outreach programmes. She left Seychelles to pursue her chosen career by taking her Diving Instructor exams and discovering Asian waters.

Our thoughts and best wishes go to Maddy’s family, friends and her boyfriend Ross at this very sad moment. Maddy returns to the UK this week with a service to celebrate her life scheduled for 11.30 BST on Friday June 7th.

The staff of MCSS will be forever grateful for Maddy’s incredible enthusiasm, hard work and above all, friendship.

Maddy we will miss you, gone but never forgotten…


Maddy & the 2013 intern team at Bassin Rouge
Maddy preparing for her first micro-light flight
Maddy, Ross and Savi at the La Misere look-out point
Maddy, Ross and Sid the dog at Sunset beach
Doing what she loved best...
Maddy with her favourite fish